From Behind Vader's Mask: Immortal Tales of Anakin
by Ennon
Summary: In this AU, the consequences of Luke saving Anakin have more impact for a longer timeframe than anyone can imagine. Please RR. Complete with Thanks!
1. Regenerate

' From Behind Vader's Mask:The Immortal Tales of Anakin Skywalker'

' Never Too Late' (Chapter One)

By Ennon

Disclaimer: 'SW' and its characters,EUs toys, collectables, etc. are all owned by George Lucas and I'm making nothing whatsoever from this fanfic.

A/N- I want to start this revision by stating that parts of this story were inspired by Kel'e'en's work 'Embers' in which Anakin gets another chance. Her story is quite remarkable in the mythological rendering and language and I highly recommend everyone who likes my work here to give her stories a fair chance!

This is DEFINITELY AU and takes place starting with the last part of RotJ f(which I hereby give full credit to the dialogue and actions to the original screenwriters) but where (and when) it ends up is anyone's guess (for now).

" Come with me!" Luke's words kept echoing in Vader's head while hunting for Luke in front of the Emperor on the 2nd Death Star.. Why should he? There was nothing to gain in doing so. Vader had everything he needed with the Emperor and the Dark Side, except Pad. .. ..No, he wouldn't go there. She'd rejected his offer of the Galaxy at her feet but had kept that stupid trinket. Why did their son have to inherit her impracticality?

" You underestimate the power of the Dark Side. If you will not fight, then you will meet your destiny!" Vader threatened while seeking out Luke. What did this sniveling coward think he was? Luke had barely even been civil to the Emperor much less showing him his due Imperial respect.

" I will not fight you!" Luke declared.

Then JOIN ME, Vader was silently screaming hoping Luke would somehow take the plea.

" Give yourself to the Dark Side. It is the only way you can save your friends," Vader started to toy with Luke.

Luke felt Vader getting inside his head. Please not now!

" Yes, your thoughts betray you. Your feelings for them are strong. Especially for. .. " Vader taunted.

Luke was desperately trying to make his mind go blank but the harder he tried. . .

"Sister! So, you have a twin sister. Your feelings have now betrayed her,too. Obi-Wan as wise to hide her from me. Now his failure is complete. If you will not turn to the Dark Side, then perhaps _she_ will!" Vader sneered.

At that Luke screamed his defense and came running towards Vader with his lightsabre. Vader had wanted Luke to get angry to go to the Dark Side but not this. Luke was MUCH stronger than he'd expected and that look of vengeful bloodlust in his eyes- just like he himself had had when he'd slaughtered the Sand People so long ago when he found his moth. .NO, he wasn't going to revisit that time when he was so weak.

Vader was so overwhelmed and surprised by how strong Luke had instantly become in the Dark Side that he didn't have time to react. NO! Not the right hand. Not again!

"Good! Your hate has made you powerful. Now, fulfill your destiny and take your father's place at my side!" Palpatine gloated.

After ALL, I've done for him, he's ready to junk me like a yesterday's holovid announcement, Vader thought. Why not? There's hasn't been anything else to live for in . .

"Never! I'll never turn to the Dark Side. You've failed, Your Highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me!" Luke declared after comparing Vader's fried wire stump with the mechanical hand he'd received courtesy of what Vader had done to him- his son.

After all that, he's actually PROUD of my past life, what's with Luke, Vader thought in puzzlement.

"So, be it, Jedi!" Palpatine sneered.

Luke, just get on your knees and beg forgiveness and embrace the Dark Side, NOW, Vader silently screamed to Luke. What do you mean, you won't? Please give Luke another chance, My Master, we barely started talking to Luke and he'd be a GREAT help to us- and why aren't you getting me to my hyperbolic chamber to keep your lung aids from totally crushing my chest,Vader screamed in his mind!

Palpatine started to use the Force Lightning to kill Luke to harvest his dying energy like he had done so many others. .including. .

"Father, please! Help me!" Luke begged.

Why aren't you begging My Master for another chance? You're just like the . .Younglings and so many others. I could have helped instead of. .being totally exploited by Palpatine. I owe him my legs, arms, my very breath and life. .but I STILL have my OWN shoulders! Well, you always said if you had to die, you'd take ME with you, so be it, My Master! You have to DIE and this is for _everyone_ you've taken from me, Vader thought as he pulled Papatine off Luke and threw him to his mortal death down the shaft.

Luke looked at the gasping Vader in total admiration and awe but not a little puzzlement before he used more strength than either thought possible under the circumstances to carry the mortally wounded Vader to Vader's shuttle.

"Luke, help me take this mask off," Vader whispered.

"But you'll die," Luke said with genuine dread.

"Nothing can stop that now. Just for once, let me look at you with my own eyes," Vader gasps.

Luke is quite astonished realized that the last moments being free of that mask would be the only way Anakin would ever be free and even one moment of freedom would be far better than an eternity in bondage to Palpatine- which is what Luke had been trying to tell Anakin all along.

"Now. .. go. My son! Leave me," the unmasked Anakin gasped- knowing what a pitiful sight his scarred and prematurely aged face must have been to his admiring son.

" No, you're coming with me. I can't leave you! I've got to save you," Luke started to cry and for the first time in decades Anakin felt something besides artificial air, the torturing armor, antiseptics and his own decay against his skin- his son's tears of forgiveness.

"You already have, Luke. You were right about me. Tell your sister, you were right," Anakin gasped then felt something he'd not felt in decades- actual unfiltered air. Oh, Anakin knew he could easily just let the weight of that armor crush him and give into the pain of all those artificial limbs torturing him that he'd resisted but Luke somehow believed in him when no one else did- not even himself. It may be futile but, perhaps his first breath independent of Palpatine in decades might lead to at least another!

" GASP> !" Anakin gasped just a moment.

A/N- OK, now we make the leap from merely speculating characters' motivations to the outright AU of mine!

"Father, you're breathing on your own! You don't need the machines!" Luke exclaimed in great astonishment and utter bliss- as he carefully took his lightsabre and made a perfect slice down the middle of the armor in the chest cavity.

" My lungs must have somehow. ._healed_," Anakin said as he got back on his hated artificial legs which seemed to be digging into his stumps more than ever now that machines were no longer working.

"On their OWN! You didn't owe the Emperor your breath after all!" Luke said in great happiness as he settled Anakin onto Vader's Shuttle Craft while they took off from the collapsing 2nd Death Star- Lando and his friends had succeeded after all. Oh, if only the Emperor could have lived to see that (and ONLY that), Luke said with no small satisfaction.

"I don't care what happens next as long as. ." Anakin gasped but then fainted

"We'll never make it to your Hyperbolic Chamber on your Executor ! Ben, help me! Father didn't save my life and return to the Light Side for nothing," Luke pleaded through tears as they made their way out of the collapsing debris.

"I cannot deny that your faith in him proved to be more than wishful thinking on your part, "the ghostly voice of Ben Kenobi conceded.

"He's meant for greatness, I KNOW it! Please help me make him whole again!" Luke begged.

"Very well, take him to Kamino. I'll give you the co-ordinates to its capital Tipoca City," Ben Kenobi's spirit agreed while the Imperial Shuttle took off a moment before the 2nd Death Star exploded.

Luckily for Luke, Anakin had installed a hyperdrive on it so it was not too much later that he arrived in Tipoca City in Kamino with the unconscious Anakin.

"You're saying that this specimen is Palpatine's protégé? Of course, we'll be happy to put our skills to work on him," the tall bizarre Kaminoan female physician exclaimed to Luke.

"I'm not sure about cloning since I don't want someone 23 years younger than me who I'd have to raise from infancy but is there a way you could clone whatever bone, muscle, tendon and skin cells in his limbs and his body to grow them anew?" Luke asked.

"I think we could do that. Don't worry about the cost. Palpatine's prepaid for himself a billion times so we can easily absorb this one procedure's costs," the Kaminoan female physician exclaimed.

"Thanks.I appreciate it!" Luke exclaimed with relief- not in small part because he knew that Palpatine would NOT be using his prepaid order.

"Now, you can step outside the examination quarters because I must warn you that extracting him from this armor could prove quite horrendous to witness," the Kaminoan doctor consoled.

"No, I said I wouldn't leave him and I'm not. If HE can stand what's about to happen, then so can I and he'll need BOTH our strengths to endure this," Luke insisted.

"It's been so long since we've encountered customers as empathetic as yourself. I think your presence could help!" the Kaminoan doctor beamed.

"Father, I WON'T leave you! Hang on until this is finished, "Luke pleaded hoping Anakin could sense it.

"Yes, my. .." Anakin started to say before the procedure started.

"This armor is hideous! We actually had to saw through flesh and bone stumps to release him from it- and that respirator had been hindering his breathing and sapping his energy. There were electronics in the armor that beamed a good portion of his energy to an unknown receptacle,"the Kaminoan doctor explained after the procedure was over.

"You mean, he was breathing FOR someone else with every single breath?" Luke gulped.

"Indirectly but, yes. This technology was originally designed so parents of children with cystic fibrosis and severe asthma could send them some of THEIR energy while the children struggled for breath in emergencies of short duration but this armor was modified so his healed lungs could give energy to someone else," the Kaminoan doctor explained.

"Is there anything else? His voice, his skin?" Luke asked.

"We'll have to regrow those,too but not until he's had one night to rest up from all this trauma and stress of the armor removal. Are you sure he endured this over 20 years?" the Kaminoan asked.

"At least," Luke gulped.

"The average human adult male wouldn't have lasted a week struggling with that respirator hindering his breath. Even with the nutrients from his digestive tube keeping him alive and the efficient disposal of the wastes taken into account, the artificial limbs would have given an average adult male gangrene or a fatal heart attack from the sheer pain within a month!" the Kaminoan doctor said in astonishment.

"So why do you have him in the bacta fluid now?" Luke asked.

"Even though he's a specimen of most extraordinary endurance and physical resilience, he needs to be suspended in the solution before we continue the procedure tomorrow. This is too horrible a torture too imagine and it's no wonder Palpatine would have wanted him out of this," the Kamino doctor gasped.

Luke paused to grips. As bizarre as they appeared and as much as their work had contributed to the anguish of the Clone Wars, there was nothing whatsoever malevolent about these creatures. They actually seemed to believe they were doing genuine good deeds (albeit for a huge profit). How many others who'd served Palpatine over the decades had also been duped into believing their service to him was for the good,Luke wondered as he suddenly felt another Force presence grow nearer.

"Leia!" Luke gulped.

He ran out of the exam room to block her path.

"What are you doing here?" Luke and Leia asked each other at once.

"Father, almost died saving my life! There IS good in him. He told me to tell you and now I must do all I can to make him whole," Luke eagerly exclaimed.

"Father?" Han Solo asked.

"Darth Vader. .." Leia started to say.

"Anakin Skywalker," Luke corrected her.

" Luke and my biological father. Luke didn't know until Bespin and I didn't know until just before Luke left Endor," Leia gulped.

"Your FARMER! You dragged me all this way to Weirdoville on Waterlegs because Vader's your FARMER!" Han boiled.

"No, Han, she said 'father'!" Luke sighed.

"That's just what I was hoping she HADN'T said! What kind of cosmic practical joke is this? The two BEST people I've ever met in my life who I'd walk through fire for came from . . from . .. _It_. .?" Han shuddered and went off to around the corner.

"Han!" Leia called out to him.

"Leia, we can't force him to accept. He has to find his own path," Luke consoled as he lifted her chin.

"Using my words against me. You sure ARE my brother," Leia half-laughed.

"Leia, there's quite a few things I need to tell you before we see him again," Luke sighed.

Han was glad he'd dropped Chewie off at Kashyyyk for a family reunion so he wouldn't have had to deal with this but sorry Chewie wasn't helping HIM deal. ALL this way because Leia said that Old Fossil's Ghost had told her where Luke was. He could accept Luke being Leia's brother. Man, he WELCOMED it. No more triangle possibilities and, though Han would have died before he said so outloud, it would make Han's dream of the four of them (including Chewie) be a family come true! But, now? It was too much to think about as Han skulked around the corner. . . but felt strangely drawn to a bacta tank coliseum. There must have been millions of them there but they were all abandoned and empty- except one. As though, it was a suddenly burned out star in a an otherwise brilliant constellation, Han's focus was in on that.

VADER! He was going to make a beeline to Vader's cloning chamber.

"Well, well. Always knew you were a monster but had no idea you were a limbless FREAK! Don't have a leg to stand on, do ya!" Han shouted at the bacta chamber.

Just when I thought things couldn't get much worse, Solo's taking potshots at me using his totally unoriginal humor, Anakin thought for, via the Force, he could indeed see and hear Han outside the bacta chamber. For a moment, he was tempted to send Force Lightning to silence Han. No, that would just electrocute me before it left the glass container. Maybe, choke . .. no I need to save my strength and it would gravely hurt Luke besides, he's only echoing what billions of others would say to me if they were here at this time- and I can't say I don't deserve it, Anakin silently thought.

Han saw the nametag vitals on the side of the tank which included his age.

"And you're only 45 but so OLD AND UGLY, I don't know how the Princess and Kid's mother could have stood conceiving them with you- and how could such PERFECT beings come from the likes of a stumpy, old, over boiled vecto egg anyway? What a F---ING JOKE the Cosmos has pulled!" Han sneered.

Solo thought _he_ was the only one pranked here, Anakin wondered.

"Easily to send someone into an ice block for trap bait and kicks but no fun being in the fish tank, HAH!" Han boiled as he pointed first to himself then Anakin.

Solo was always thinking of himself, Anakin groaned.

"I'd take this blaster and zap the fish tank to make things better for everyone right here and now! Lucky for you, I like and respect your kids too much!" Han sneered.

"Han! What are you doing?" Leia gasped as she and Luke ran towards him.

"Why are you keeping this dismembered piece of Sith alive?"Han sneered.

"Because he's our father!" Luke boiled.

"'Because he's our father' 'because he's our father'! You're making even Goldenrod himself sound human with thatdroid logic!" Han sneered after mocking Luke's voice.

"Han, just because YOU didn't have a good father doesn't mean the rest. ..?" Leia sighed.

"Well, you DID have a good one, Sweetheart! You remember. The one you've cried about in your sleep when thinking of _Alderaan_," Han said with extra venom turning purple while Leia sighed and Luke clutched Leia's hand.

" Yeah, I've heard your daughter cry in her sleep, and wouldn't you like to know HOW?"! Han sneered while shaking his fist at the bacta tank.

"Han, he saved me from the Emperor and has been turned back to the Light Side," Luke pleaded.

" And if I just pleaded one more time with Jabba at the Sarlaac Pit, he'd have wiped clean my debt! HA! Scum like that NEVER changes!" Han snorted.

"Oh, yeah, like there's no way a Corellian smuggler would have done more than take the Alliance's monies after bringing back the Princess and would have just let me get blasted into bits and Biggs by the Imperial fighter behind me abovethe First Death Star," Luke declared.

At that moment, all of them saw a strongtremor from inside thecloning tank.

"Yeah, and WHO was flying that Imperial tie-fighter?" Han mocked.

At that Luke actually made a fist and, in spite of the fact that Han was no less than 9 inches (10 cm) taller than him, he actually DECKED Han.

"THAT was for taunting our father who wouldn't have shuddered had he not heard us and been sorry," Luke boiled.

"I . . don't believe you two. Why is he worth destroying everything you urged me to believe in?" Han started to cry in spite of his best efforts.

"Luke's never given me any reason at any moment in four years to think he wasn't working in our best interests," Leia pleaded.

" Well, there's a _first_ time for everything," Han sneered.

" Besides,Luke told me that just before . .. Father. .. turned he said that perhaps I'd be turned to the Dark Side," Leia deeply groaned.

Another strong tremor came from within the tank.

"And in spite of him saying that you want to open yourself to him?" Han shuddered.

"If I'd ever considered the Force before or had known of the existence of the Dark Side, I'd have been tempted after Alderaan to use it against him but holding resentment against someone genuinely sorry only enslaves just like Father was- even if all the choices he made under it were his own," Leia quickly said before Han could interrupt her.

"Was it on account of the Imperial Shuttle remnant we found?" Han asked.

"What remnant?" Luke asked.

"On our way from Endor, we saw it among the 2nd Death Star Debris Field and, after putting on radiation suits, we went inside to see if we could find anything about the Imperials for us to strategize against when we found. .." Leia sighed.

"A receptor for Father's energy that Palpatine had been draining from him all this time," Luke bitterly groaned.

"Well, yes, and the fact that Vader's Hyperbolic Chamber in his Command Ship used almost lethal amounts of Carbon Monoxide but also a note he'd made to himself decades ago gloating about payment to a tribe of Sand People in Tatooine for kidnapping and torturing. .. "Leia gulped before just before she said the name of Shmi Skywalker.

"MAMA!" Anakin's hoarse voice was heard to scream through the glass and liquid at the top of his lungs in a bitter rage as he used the Force to break every single one of the millions empty cloning tanks in the stadium sized room.

"I think we'd better leave now," Luke said quietly.

Han and Leia nodded then ran out.

"Father, calm down, "Luke pleaded via the Force.

"My entire life and everyone in it was used by him even when I thought I was helping," Anakin silently communicated with him.

"I know but it doesn't have to be anymore," Luke consoled.

"You don't know all that he's taken away from you. You and your Nana Shmi would have loved each other and so would. .." Anakin deeply groaned via telepathy.

"I know. You need to get rest before they continue healing you," Luke pleaded.

"Very well, if I must be tortured I'll do it for your sake, " Anakin replied through telepathy.

"Use the Light Side to calm down and help the healing," Luke pleaded aloud.

"The Light Side! It's too late for me after all I've done," Anakin sighed via the Force.

"No, it's never too late! Give yourself another chance and the Light Side will reward you a million fold!"Luke proclaimed.

"Luke.. " Anakin scoffed via the Force.

" There's no way the Light Side could set you back any further than the Dark Side's _already_ done!" Luke exclaimed.

"How can someone so young carry such wisdom?" Anakin asked via telepathy.

"Just let what is be and let the future heal the past," Luke pleaded while he and Han and Leia exited the room.

" Very well,Son. Goodnight," Anakin said via the Force.

After they made their way to outside the chamber.

"I don't get you two at all!" Han sneered- once Luke put down his hand once he believed that Anakin could no longer hear them via the Force.

"Han, would you stop thinking of yourself for a change?" Leia asked.

"I should be asking you two the same thing. Father/ twin bonding's a bit too late- especially putting everyone else at risk," Han sneered.

"That's just it, Han. It's NOT just about us. We MUST do all we can to make Father whole again- or else the future of everyone in the Galaxy and even the Galactic civilizations themelves will be in jeopardy," Luke pleaded.

"He did a pretty good job coming this close to doing that already," Han scoffed.

"Maybe not now or tomorrow but, undoubtably, many lifetimes from now it will be vital that he'd been saved," Luke exclaimed-uncertain of where in the Force that statement came into his head from save that it was from the Light Side.

" We could all use some sleep after this," Leia pleaded.

"Fine, then tomorrow we're taking off," Han insisted.

"You and Leia can but I'm staying here with Father, " Luke insisted.

"Whatever. .. like I care. I'm in no mood to argue," Han scoffed as he stomped ahead of them towards where he parked the Falcon under the Tipoca City's covered small space port.

Meantime, Anakin wasn't certain what this new chance would mean or how long it would last as he finally let sleep overtake him to rest in thebacta tank.


	2. Once a Hero

'Regeneratation' (Chapter Two)

by Ennon

Disclaimers: Same as before

A/N- The thought occured to me while watching ROTS that since everything else Palpatine said and did to Anakin would prove to be a lie and deception, wouldn't it be possible the even Vader's trademark armor and machinery was for Palpatine's benefit instead of Vader's? In this piece I'm exploring that possibility.

Only the fact that daylight weakly shined through the ceaseless storms of the watercovered Kamino's clouds indicated that night had ended and morning had arisen.

"Luke, don't tell me you slept here all night?" Leia sighed as she re-entered the Cloning Tank Colliseum and found Luke asleep on the florr next to Anakin's bacta tank with all theother tanks shattered thanks to Anakin's fury over finding out that Palpatine had been responsible for Shmi's torture for the purpose of luring HIM to the Dark Side.

"I wanted to be here, in case Father woke up in the night," Luke explained while Leia put the blanket on him she'd carried from her own Kamino guest quarters-having already suspected her brother would sleep on the floor.

"I hope he appreciates what. ."Leia started to say.

"Good morning, Children!" Anakin exclaimed to both Luke and Leia's thoughts via the Force.

"Father?" Leia exclaimed with a gasp- simultaneously curious yet apprehensive of their new interaction and his deformed , prematurely-aged, physique floating in the tank with only ventilation and nutrient tubes linking him to the outside.

"Daughter, you don't know how much I wish could make right all the harm I've done to you and all those you loved, " Anakin said via the Force to her.

"I'm not going to pretend to be totally aghast at Han's viewpoint or totally agreeing with Luke's," Leia started to say aloud.

" I know. It would be arrogant and foolish of me to expect instant and total forgiveness of what I've done," Anakin groaned via the Force.

"However, to best preserve everything what my fah. ._adoptive_ father Bail and my mother stood for, I'm hoping you can be healed in body and we can all be healed in spirit as soon as possible," Leia choked while she kissed her hand then extended it and warmly patted her hand to the spot in the tank where his scarred right facial cheek was visible and looked directly into his still intense blue eyes thru the transparent tank wall.

"Thank, you, Leia. Your kind wish will help me through this time," Anakin proclaimed through the Force.

"Aren't you going to stay with me and Father?" Luke asked.

" You two will be in my thoughts constantly but I must return to Endor soon so we can safely establish the New Republic with as little anarchy and chaos as possible," Leia sincerely replied.

"And you also need some time to sort everything out, My Daughter," Anakin conveyed to both Leia and Luke via the Force.

"Thanks for not holding my lack of instant bonding against me," Leia quietly said with a sigh.

"No offense but Luke's your mother's son in that capacity but you're more my daughter," Anakin wryly laughed via the Force.

Although not entirely comforted by that phrase, Leia sincerely gave a small smile at that.

"Fah. .ther, can you promise to teach me how to send verbal thoughts through the Force when next we meet? It would save me from having to shout and repeat myself so much with Han," Leia wryly laughed.

"What is it about you and your mother and scoundrels anyway?" Anakin laughed via the Force, as Leia gently kissed her hand then pressed the transparent tank wall again.

"Must you go?" Luke asked.

Leia nodded.

"Don't try to force her, Son. She has to find her own path. Besides, we have all the time we need here but she'd be missed soon," Anakin proclaimed via the Force.

"That's right! Everyone thinks me and Father perished on the 2nd Death Star," Luke exclaimed with a snap of his fingers.

"I've already sworn Chewie and Han to secrecy about you two. I know I can trust Chewie to honor that pledge and Han knows he'd never hear the end of it from me if he didn't," Leia wryly laughed while hugging Luke.

"May the Force be with you, Daughter," Anakin exclaimed via the Force as Leia warmly walked away to find her way back to Han and the Falcon.

A few hours later, the Kaminoan female doctor made her way back to Cloning Colliseum.

"Oh, dear! I thought we'd lightning-proofed the tanks," the Kaminoan doctor gasped.

"Sorry about the mess," Luke groaned.

"Tell her from me that I'll repair it as soon as I'm restored," Anakin whispered to Luke via the Force.

"How!" Luke started to say.

"It's a very involved process but. .." the Kaminoan doctor started to say.

"Sorry, I just wanted to say that my compatriot and I would take care of them," Luke gulped.

"That's very nice of you. It's not that we need the funds but since our Coruscant patron quit using us some years back, we've not been able to put our skills to good use and none of us want to rust," the Kaminoan doctor groaned.

"If you're successful with my compatriot, we'll see to it that you have all the skill practice you can want for quite some time," Luke proclaimed.

"How?" Anakin asked Luke via the Force.

"No shortage of Imperial and Rebel soldiers and civilians maimed and deformed by this war," Luke replied to Anakin via the Force.

"I'm sorry to tell you that what we need to do next will likely be quite painful for your compatriot but it's necessary," the Kaminoan doctor sighed.

"What?" Luke asked (along with Anakin to Luke via the Force).

" To harvest the healthy skin, muscle, tendon and bone cells needed to regrow the damaged, we'll have to . .. SKIN him," the Kaminoan doctor gulped.

"Remember, through the Light Side there's healing! Hold onto it, Father! I'm here with you until it's over!" Luke proclaimed via the Force while both he and Anakin took deep breaths and gritted their teeth while the team of Kaminoan doctors and medical droids extracted him from the bacta tank with robotic pulleys and then carefully lasered off every milimeter of flesh on him before putting Anakin into a new solution.

"Luke, I don't know how anyone withOUT the Force and your guidance could endure this without going insane," Anakin groaned to Luke via the Force after it was over.

"Why is he in that large fleshy bag?"Luke asked the Kaminoan doctor as they finished adjusting the last of the monitors while also observing all manners of tubing popping out of the fleshy bag as well.

"It's a womb of sort- grown from his own skin. It will protect him in the solution until the bones, tendons, muscles and skin are all regrown. I must warn you that it should take a month for all that to occur and then he'll need physical therapy," the Kaminoan doctor explained.

"Luke, I'd rather you not stare at this now. How about asking her if you could test out some of the physical therapy equipment?" Anakin asked Luke via the Force.

"But I want to be with you," Luke pleaded via the Force.

"You always ARE with the Force- especially at this close range. We can talk with it while you try out the equipment I'll be using," Anakin explained via the Force.

So, for the next month Luke swam in the pool, climbed the rope wall, ran around the track, used the weight lifting equipment and did many acrobatic feats with and without the Force while practicing some of Yoda's exercises the Old Master had been taught- all the while he and Anakin talked about many things via the Force. Faster than anyone expected, the sonograms revealed all the stumps growing full-scale limbs. Then the day came in which the sensors indicated that the regrowth of all those bones, tendons, muscles and skin cells was complete and Anakin was ready to emerge from the solution and the fleshy bag.

As Anakin inside the fleshy bag was finally lifted from the solution tank by the medical droids and placed on the table.

"Instead of them just lasercutting you out. Father, may I?"Luke asked as he took out his green lightsabre.

"Can a Jedi ask for a better birth than this?" Anakin laughed via the Force as Luke carefully cut a cross into the layer of the fleshy bag atop the region of Anakin's head while Anakin closed his eyes until it was over.

"I LOVE PADMÉ!" Anakin shouted at the top of his lungs in triumph as he opened his eyes and pulled apart the fleshy bag with his strong left arm then eagerly felt the top of the scalp which had thick blond hair for first time in decades and then felt his for his two legs that were once again flesh, tendon and bone and happily put on the pair of shorts the medical droid handed him as he flailed on the examination table then, felt the stomach which no longer had a feeding tube attached and lastly his RIGHT arm with his left hand.

Everyone in the room was quite astonished at what they saw. Not only did Anakin now have smooth, flawless, unscarred skin, well-defined muscles over his torso and restored limbs and a full head of blond hair but. .

"Sir, didn't you say your compatriot is 45-years-old?" the lead female Kaminoan doctor gulped.

"Yeah, "Luke said in astonishment.

"But he couldn't be more than 20, 21. Maybe 22 at the very most," the Kaminoan doctor gulped.

Anakin turned away from the full length mirror in front of the tank.

"Father, don't be afraid to look. You won't frighten anyone anymore!" Luke exclaimed- as Anakin slowly turned back around then touched his nose while watching his reflection do the same and then did the same with every single facial feature before running his fingers through his once-again thick hair.

"What can I say, doctor but THANK YOU! You've done an EXCELLENT JOB!" Anakin boomed- as he had an ear-to-ear grin at the sound of his OWN voice intact again.

"Well, he was about 22 when he lost his limbs," Luke hypothesized.

"But every other patient of all species we've tried this procedure on has emerged their actual physiological age ," the head female Kaminoan doctor explained.

"Perhaps, I'm like a Tatooine frog. Every see one of those after a rainstorm, Luke?" Anakin asked.

"Yeah, when I was about nine it rained a few hours and those frogs emerged," Luke recalled.

"Their skin's as dry as the desert itself and they appear totally lifeless if one happens to dig one up-but when there's a rare rain, they emerge, mate, lay eggs in runoff ponds then, if the ponds last the three weeks eggs grow to fullterm, they join their parents and burrow their way into the mud for up to 100 years until the next rain! Maybe I had just needed a special rain to re-emerge into my own skin after all that time in my own desert!" Anakin explained to the stunned doctors.

A/N- Here on Earth, there actually ARE frogs in the Sonoran Desert of Mexico that live the way Anakin described being dormant up to 20 years in the dry ground- and plants have been grown from seeds found in archaeological sites thousands of years old.

"Maybe it was a defense against Palp. .. that person's energy drain, "Luke pondered.

"The midclorinians outflanked after all," Anakin couldn't help but smirk.

"I feel my right arm, hand and fingers- as well as my left legs, feet and toes but why don't I feel like I can control them?"Anakin asked in frustration as the three limbs involuntarily flailed around.

"If what your compatriot says is true, your brain has spent so many years not responding to those parts that it's lost its capacity to control their functions. However; with intense physical therapy, they should be regained within a month," the head Kaminoan doctor explained.

" Oh, that's fine! I've got the best trainer I could ask for!" Anakin proclaimed as he hugged Luke with his left arm.

That night, Luke was asleep in a Kaminoan guest room for the first time since their arrival, and Anakin was taking in the feel of bedsheets in a bed for the first time in decades.

"Well, you've regained your limbs. Planning on using them for the good this time?" Obi-Wan's Ghost with a blue aura asked.

"Wha. .? You were old when . ..I killed you. Why do you look like you did right before Mustafar?" Anakin asked.

"!We Force Ghosts have our own appearances that mortals can't even imagine but we can appear in whatever stage of life we choose to those Force wielders we knew in our lives," the ghostly Obi-Wan explained.

"Why have you come here?" Anakin asked- not without some apprehension.

" Oh, to congratulate you," the ghostly Obi-Wan explained.

"Congratulate me? But it was Luke who believed I could be healed- even in spirit," Anakin said in awe.

"Yes, we owe Luke a great deal," the ghostly Obi-Wan sighed.

"Including not giving into you and comitting patricide. Where would the Light Side be had he done that?" Anakin laughed and pointed.

"Anakin, I wanted to destroy what you'd become and I didn't think there was any possibility that the man I'd loved as a brother still existed," the ghostly Obi-Wan sighed.

" I know. I didn't think so either. I sure didn't want to think so. I thought the Dark Side gave me power but it just drained and destroyed,"Anakin conceded.

"My heart was broken when you screamed you hated me in Mustafar," Obi-Wan recalled.

" It broke MY heart to scream it even though I meant it! The truth was too painful to see. I'm sorry," Anakin sniffed.

"For killing me?" Obi-Wan laughed.

"Yes, of course! Why are you laughing? You hardly EVER laughed," Anakin gasped.

"Because if you hadn't done that, there's a good chance Luke would have just considered me an Old Fossil and not listened to me either instead of wanting to learn the ways of the Force's Light Side," Obi-Wan explained.

" I wanted you to feel my pain that I felt when I lost my limbs," Anakin sobbed.

"I know," the ghostly Obi-Wan sighed.

"And I wanted to trample on your remains with my robotic legs but your cloak was as empty as my revenges usually wound up being," Anakin bawled as he actually tried to hug the air where the ghostly Obi-Wan appeared.

" I wish I could have taken that back," the ghostly Obi-Wan consoled.

"Until last month, that would have been my _2nd_ most ardent wish," Anakin sobbed.

"All because of Luke's presence?" the ghostly Obi-Wan asked.

" A good part of it but now I realize that if you hadn't done that, Palpatine would have done all he could to take over my BODY as thoroughly as he'd done my soul,l," Anakin sobbed.

"I know," the ghostly Obi-Wan quietly consoled.

" I miss and love you like a brother, Master, " Anakin sniffed.

"In time, as satisfying as hearing you call me that. I believe there's someone else who merits that title more than I," the ghostly Obi-Wan proclaimed.

" I know but Luke won't let me call him that," Anakin sighed.

" Nothing to stop you from _thinking_ that, Ani!" the ghostly Obi-Wan proclaimed.

" So good to hear my real name called after hearing the other name used as a curse and a dread by everyone, " Anakin proclaimed.

" I must be going now," the ghostly Obi-Wan proclaimed- as he faded.

"Hurry back! There's so much I want to catch up on with you. If you could send Qui-Gonn, Mace Windu and even Yoda my way, I'd be happy!" Anakin laughed as he stretched himself out in his bed.

Over the next month Anakin relearned to walk, then to run while using his right arm and hand all over as he and Luke trained as though Anakin were in an intergalactic competition. In barely a week, Anakin's physical strength became equal to Luke's so by the time the month was over, it had astonishedly surpassed anyone's expectations.

" I WIN!" Anakin proclaimed as he made it to the platform after he and Luke managed to climb up 100 meters of knotted rope from the gymnasium floor below.

"Let me catch my breath," Luke gasped.

"Shouldn't that be MY line?" Anakin laughed as he banged Luke's back.

"And I thought caring for you as a baby clone would have been trouble, " Luke half-laughed.

" Glad you didn't choose that option."Anakin laughed.

" So many years I dreamed of what it would be like actually talking to my father- then after Bespin, I couldn't imagine HOW I'd talk to you," Luke recalled.

" I know. Whatever happens, these past two months with you along with the time I spent with your mother will give me inspiration, " Anakin proclaimed.

" Well, Father, any questions?" Luke asked.

"Luke, how did you survive your first encounter with me without totally giving into the Dark Side, "Anakin asked pensively .

"Father, I'm not really sure how but I just remembered getting angrier and angrier at you after Ben's. .. You embodied everything I despised and wanted to rid the Galaxy of forever," Luke sighed.

"What changed after I gave you the Big News?" Anakin asked.

"I thought back to that vision in Yoda's cave with my getting my most ardent wish and striking you down in the mask but then seeing MY face in your mask," Luke sighed.

" How I wish I could have seen that mask when _I_ was your age. I'll have to envision Palpatine in his cloak and hood but seeing my ugly,old overboiled egg face inside it when I start to think about what he did to all of us," Anakin sighed.

"No one would ever imagine you were that person now," Luke beamed as he stood next to Anakin on the platform and was amazed at how much taller his father was than he- even factoring in Anakin's bare feet next to Luke's booted height.

"But just like that person carried me, I have to carry the burden of that person and what he did inside me the rest of my life,"Anakin groaned.

"Yes, but I'll help you carry the burden from now on," Luke exclaimed while he and Anakin hugged.

"Well, I promised I'd restore the Kaminoans' fish tanks after my Force tantrum and I mean to keep it," Anakin proclaimed.

"How?" Luke gulped.

"Watch and learn!" Anakin proclaimed as they walked over to the gymnasium's window that overlooked the Cloning Stadium and intensely concentrated.

The billions of transparent tank wall fragments all joined together and Anakin concentrated further and sealed them together via the Force.

"I know it looks like a glass mosaic. I never could do that quite as well as Master Yoda!" Anakin proclaimed.

"But all the seals are intact! We need to get out of here to scream it from the hyperdrive how STRONG the Light Side is!" Luke laughed.

"Ah, but complacency about the strength was where the Sith found the weakest link and broke its chain," Anakin cautioned.

"Shh! It's Leia and Han," Luke said quietly.

"Yes, I knew they were on their way here and they've brought. Nah, it couldn't be. .," Anakin replied quietly.

"How?" Luke gulped.

"You got too easily distracted by rope climbing,Son! Race you DOWN the ropes before they get here," Anakin shouted as they started climbing back down.

"You got it!" Luke exclaimed.

"My Daughter, Luke and I are in the Gymnasium. My appearance has drastically changed since you last saw me. Don't say anything to Solo when you two arrive! Welcome back!" Anakin proclaimed to Leia via the Force.

"Don't worry, Father. You ought to remember how GOOD I am at keeping secrets. Don't be too harsh on, Han," Leia replied via the Force.

"I won't but I'm going to have my fun!" Anakin laughed outloud (and via the Force).

"What are you. ..?" Luke asked as they made their way down.

"Nothing harmful but I'm not ALL good either, "Anakin said with a raised eyebrow.

"Whoa! Nobody told me Weirdoville had its own lake-sized pool!" Han proclaimed as he started to take off his boots and socks and shed his clothes to his shorts.

"Han, I think we should at least ask," Leia sighed.

"If it's okay by Luke, it's okay by me," Anakin shrugged.

"Sure!" Luke laughed.

"Great! I'm in! I see the water polo goals are set up. How about we play a game, Stretch?" Han laughed as he dove into the pool then pointed at Anakin.

"Stretch?" Anakin, Luke and Leia asked.

"Sure! Luke's the Kid but Stretch towers over him and he's gotta be Luke's and your cousin or somethin'! " Han proclaimed as he happily shook extended his right hand.

"Actually, it's. ." Luke started to say.

"Stretch will do for now. May I call you Han?" Anakin proclaimed- as he extended his own restored right hand and shook Han's hand.

" He sure didn't get his manners from your Pop's side!" Han laughed while pointing to Luke.

"You'd be sur. .." Luke started to say.

" Whatever. Why don't you two get out of those clothes and join the game?" Han asked.

"Han, we have to meet my father," Leia sighed barely containing herself from laughing but Anakin and Luke caught it.

"Shoot, he can wait! Stretch'll put in a good word to his Uncle Eggface, eh?" Han laughed.

"You won't have to worry about . ..'Uncle Eggface'!" Anakin nearly choked while trying not to burst out laughing.

"You don't have to play," Luke tried to caution Anakin.

"Oh, no. I think it would be even MORE fun than playing against you!" Anakin laughed as he jumped in the pool in his shorts.

"Don't be so tough on the Kid. He's too gullible. An easy win!" Han laughed.

"You think?" Anakin asked.

" Yeah, let's get to the game!" Han proclaimed.

The two of them played a vigorous game of water polo for the next hour when. . .

"How'd ja score 40 goals in 60 minutes to my 6, Stretch? You must have been playing since you were a tadpole," Han gasped.

"No, I did a little when I was . .. training but hadn't really played until the last two weeks," Anakin replied.

" Well, no hard feelings. You're cool in my book! Great game, Stretch!" Han beamed-as they climbed out of the pool.

"Thank you, Han. You don't know what that means to me," Anakin said doing all he could to keep from laughing.

"Didja see my microchip . It's in your ear! Psyche 'em" Han laughed as he extracted a microchip he'd hidden in Anakin's ear.

"You're full of surprises," Anakin wryly laughed.

"And the microchip in the ear fools the Kid EVERY time," Han laughed.

"You're something else, " Anakin laughed.

"Yeah, if ya can't outsmart 'em, psyche 'em- that's my motto!" Han shrugged.

At that Anakin sprang his legs like springs and bounced on his hands- making sure Luke and Leia were behind Han, then bounced back on his feet, then repeated the process about ten times in five seconds until he was ten meters away from Han then used the Force to extract Han's blaster from his belt and hoist it into midair then Anakin used the Force to pull the blaster's trigger causing it to fire four rounds which he used his right palm to deflect the first one via the Force, then jumped up to use his left bare foot sole to deflect the second one via the Force, then jumped up to use his left palm to deflect the third blast via the Force, then finally jumped up and used his right bare foot sole to deflect the fourth blast- all in just under four seconds!

"And MY motto is you never get another chance to make a First Impression!" Anakin laughed while using the Force to yank Han's suspended gun from mid air to his right hand. .

"You're. .. you're. .. you're the. .you're the. .?" Han shuddered.

"Old ,ugly, stumpy egghead? Yep! I WAS!" Anakin declared as he sent Han's blaster back into its holster on Han's belt in his pile of clothes by the pool side.

"Allow me., Han, this is Anakin Skywalker," Luke started to say.

"OUR father!" Luke and Leia said together while getting on both each side of him.

"Could I lay down or have something to eat," Han gulped.

"Father, you were brilliant! About time someone called Han on his microchip trick!" Luke laughed while mussing Han's hair.

" That was FUN! If only your mother could have. .." Anakin started to sigh.

" But I DID and I agree with Luke's assesment!" 50-year-old Padmé Amidala Skywalker proclaimed.

Padmé was in white coveralls and boots with her hair in braids. While she had a few squint lines and a few grey strands, she could have easily passed for 35 and was still quite an attractive woman.

"My Angel!"Anakin declared.

"Mama!" Luke gulped as the two of them started running towards her open arms.

" I thought you were dead. Palpatine told me I'd killed you! I TOLD him I'd felt your presence," Anakin sobbed as he embraced her and lifted her off the floor.

"I'll explain about what I did and why I did it over dinner. Right now I want to reunite with my two favorite men!" Padmé beamed.

"What about me? I'm the one who. .?" Han whined.

" Thanks for bringing Leia and me here and we all should thank Mon Mothma for telling Leia where I was," Padmé exclaimed while Anakin and Luke both hugged her dearly.

"You sure DO know how to keep a secret, Daughter" Anakin half-laughed and half-sobbed.

"Let's all join Chewie, Artoo and Threepio for that banquet the Kaminoans are throwing for us!" Leia proclaimed.

"But I'm not dressed, " Anakin gasped.

"You're just FINE to me!" Padmé beamed.

"And you're the most beautiful being in the Galaxy inside and out- always WILL be!" Anakin declared as he kissed her on the lips before taking her hand and walking with her away from the pool.

"Look out, Galaxy! The Skywalkers are BACK!" Luke beamed.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Han whined as he walked behind the reunited family.

A/N- MissNave- Glad you think this a great start and hope the wait wasn't too long.

jacskellington666- Glad you think it's great and happy you REALLY like it, I hope this update was soon enough but I must warn you all that the next one may not be for at least another week. Life happens.


	3. Worth His Salt

'Once a Hero' (Chapter Three)

By Ennon

Disclaimers: George Lucas still owns 'SW' and its characters and I'm making nothing from this but am trying to fill the characters' potential anyway.

A/N- I'm going to respond to the critiques here to save those who may dislike how I've done things from reading further (or encourage them TO) after reading my explanations.

Miss Naye- Glad you think it was awesome and quite funny! I kind of wanted Han to paint himself in the corner after being so cruel about Anakin's earlier physical appearance (NOT that I don't think Anakin didn't deserve to be called on his actions).

YodasPatawan- Could you use the Force to speed up time and teleport me away from my life's obligations?LOL. Glad you consider this one of the best you've read and I hope this update's soon enough for you!

Jackskellington666- Yep, Padmé's alive and Anakin's physically that young! Glad you consider the fanfic really cool and hope you continue to do so.

And, in since one can't have good lemonade without lemons: I'm ready to address the not-as-eager reviews (and, with that in mind, if positive reviewers want to expound on WHY they like it more, I'll raise no objections and I thank you for your support)!

Katie H. – 'The lamest thing' you've ever read? I somehow doubt that. I mean, I'm sure a fanfic having Jar-Jar,Artoo and the Ewoks holding a hip-hop contest would likely be lamer. Seriously though, since you DID say you liked my explanation as to why Palpatine didn't take Vader to Kamino instead of condemning him to the Hell via The Suit, I take that to mean that you see some redeeming stuff here (and surely you've read something lamer with NO redeeming stuff). As to Padmé NOT dying being far-fetched? In a galaxy where a brown haired/eyed girl can be the TWIN of a blond haired/ blue eyed boy AND they can find each other out of trillions of folks,blasts can be heard in the vacuum of space, I think there's very little that CAN be 'far fetched'. And I argue that it's the belief that Padmé had died at his hand that was a strong motivating factor re Vader- so finding out she hadn't would NOT throw the whole thing off for a restored Anakin! As to Anakin's enthusiasm? Not only WAS Anakin an enthusiastic character in the first three movies(with a few flashes of enthusiasm via Vader in the last three) , but there are countless accounts of folks who had been seriously depressed then had senses/mobility restored, freed from prison, reunited with family, etc. who became VERY enthusiastic- and if you haven't met any of them, I'm sorry for you! We EACH can decide for ourselves how the characters should act and I respect that you have a different set of ideas than I do in that capacity but this is how I think they would! IMO, two months from near-death to enthusiastic health isn't too fast paced- but two days WOULD be. As you so thoughtfully pointed out, this IS my story and I hope you decide to give it a chance besides to just laugh at it but if not, then I wish you well- and I DO accept constructive criticisms. However, I won't accept an outright flame (and your opening sentence came close to getting your review deleted from this site) so consider this your only warning should you cross the line to become outright hostile.

Silverash- You're absolutely right about Anakin having been a mass murderer but Luke's the only one who's so far wanting totally let him off the hook(and I DON'T recommend that for anyone in THIS galaxy). Anakin himself acknowledges his atrocities and Leia's trying to relate to him for Luke's sake by giving him a guarded chance but DOES like his sense of humor. As for Padmé? Okay, I rushed the initial reunion scene because I thought a longer one would drag the chapter down and I wanted to end it on a positive note but, I hope you're willing to see how Padmé (and the other characters) deal with Anakin's past in THIS chapter and I hope you like this!

OKAY responses are over! LET THE CHAPTER BEGIN:

Padmé had run from the outer door of the cavernous gymnasium and couldn't wait to embrace her restored husband and she was grateful that he still felt attracted to her but as they, their twins and Han were walking away to join Chewbacca, Artoo and Threepio (with Han carrying his clothes and boots), Han cleared his throat.

"Yo, I'm not dissing your family reunion but, how can you go back to him after all he did, just like that, Amber Lady?" Han asked Padmé.

"Amber Lady?" Luke and Anakin asked turning around.

"Well, yeah, she's got hair and eyes the color of deep amber, what else could I call her?" Han shrugged.

"That's the first time I've ever heard you NOT concoct some sarcastic semi-endearment tag for one of us," Luke sighed while Anakin and Leia nodded.

"Now, why would anyone want to get sarcastic or mean with someone like your ma?" Han asked.

"For once, I totally agree with you. Why indeed?" Anakin sighed as he kissed Padmé on the lips.

"So why WERE ya mean to her?" Han sneered while wagging his finger.

" He knows?" Anakin groaned.

" He overheard me telling Leia why I had to separate myself and our children from you after Mustafar," Padmé sighed.

"That's close to the worst sin of a lifetime of sins I did to everyone including the children," Anakin groaned.

"So why are ya giving him a 2nd chance?" Han asked again.

"Han!" Luke snapped.

"You're not helping!" Leia added.

"Leia, what was the first thing I asked when you told me you'd seen him in the cloning chamber floating in the solution?" Padmé asked as she clutched her daughter's hand.

"You asked what color his eyes were," Leia recalled.

"And she said they were blue," Padmé beamed.

"But what does that havta. .?" Han sputtered.

" Because, every _other_ Sith who ever came about had those scary, unnatural yellow eyes- as did he in Mustafar. They could only temporarily mask those, like Count Dooku and Palpatine could, but they couldn't hide them in times of great stress," Padmé explained.

"And Father _definitely_ was stressed in that tank between almost dying and Han's dissing him," Leia sighed while Han rolled his eyes.

"So, I knew that he HAD returned from the Dark Side! He's the first Sith EVER to do that!" Padmé beamed while kissing Anakin.

"I couldn't have done it without Luke's belief in me, " Anakin exclaimed as he clutched Luke's shoulder.

"But it was your own great strength that our son untapped and.. ." Padmé started to say when.

"Mama, it's okay," Luke groaned as she touched his metallic right hand.

"I'll ask this one time, and you must swear by the Light Side in your answers. Did you know Leia was our daughter when you had her mind probed in the First Death Star," Padmé asked in a voice of stone.

"It doesn't make what I did right, but I swear by the Light Side, I didn't know her relationship to me- nor did I know it in Bespin when I had her tortured to lure Luke,I swear by the Light Side," Anakin deeply groaned.

"And, what about when you mutilated our son's hand? " Padmé asked with great venom in her voice as she looked directly into Anakin's tearing eyes.

"Mama, it doesn't. .." Luke pleaded.

"Yes, Son. It does matter! As much as I wish I could say otherwise, by the Light Side, I swear I DID know Luke was our son when I did that to try to bring him to the Dark Side," Anakin sobbed.

"Ani, since I know you're sincerely sorry, I forgive you. I love you and want us to have a 2nd chance but I swear by the Light Side, if you ever, **_EVER _**physically hurt or use the Force against our progeny or any innocents again, not only won't I give you a 3rd chance, I will do all I can to DESTROY you even if it means destroying myself!" Padmé said in a voice of steel.

"Knowing what existence has been without you, I'd be destroyed if I lost you again so I promise to do all I can to resist the Dark Side's pull for all eternity," Anakin solemnly intoned.

"Very well- and don't think your Angel is incapable of being avenging to you," Padmé said with a half-laugh as she not-so-playfully banged his back.

Suddenly, the party heard a hostile growl as Chewbacca opened the gymnasium door then charged towards the group and made a beeline towards Anakin.

"Chewbacca! How could he know . .?" Luke gulped.

"Sense of smell,"Han smirked.

"RUN!" Leia begged.

"I'm through running from anything," Anakin insisted as he stood still while Chewbacca put his hands around Anakin's throat.

"NO! STOP! DON'T! He's changed!" Luke begged.

"Yeah, stop," Han whispered in an almost inaudible voice.

"I'm CHOKE sorry for I did to CHOKE allCHOKE of you!" Anakin gasped while Luke and Leia vainly tried to pull Chewbacca's hands off Anakin's throat.

"EW AGRH CHOW NOAC" Padmé pleaded.

At once Chewbacca lessened his death grip of Anakin's throat. He pleaded a growl.

"NOH BRAWR NOAC!" Padmé added- after which Chewbacca nodded and let go Anakin then looked towards Padmé for forgiveness.

"It's okay,Friend! You were trying to protect me and everyone else from him and it was a noble gesture. I wouldn't have come here or re-exposed you to him if I wasn't sure he had changed," Padmé sighed while tenderly patting Chewie's ribs.

"You know Wookiee?" Luke gulped.

"Your mother was a diplomat and she learned many languages. She always could make all but the heartless love her," Anakin sighed.

Chewbacca growled a reluctant growl.

"No, it's okay. I don't hold it against you," Anakin sighed as he patted Chewbacca.

"_Et tu_, Chewie," Han sneered.

"I didn't know you knew Wookiee, Father," Leia gulped.

"With the Force, I've learned to translate virtually every language but don't tell. ." Anakin started to say as Threepio and Artoo started to walk in.

"Hello, sir. I see you've joined Master Luke, Captain Solo, Chewbacca and Mistresses Padmé and Leia. Permit me to introduce myself, I'm. ." Threepio started.

"C-3PO, Human-cyborg relationships capable of communicating in six million forms," Anakin talked over Threepio with a wry laugh.

"But, sir, how could you . ..?" Threepio sputtered.

"He had a memory wipe shortly after Mustafar," Padmé quickly explained.

"How useful that would be," Anakin sighed.

"Yeah, for everyone _else_ in the Galaxy to forget what you've done," Han sneered.

"Han!" Leia and Luke shouted while Han shrugged his shoulders.

"Excuse me, young sir but what are they talking about?" Threepio asked.

At that Artoo let out a series of excited beeps.

"Yes, Artoo, it's me! It's REALLY me, Anakin Skywalker," Anakin beamed as he patted Artoo's hood.

"You understand . ..?" Luke gulped.

"We both could- as could Obi-Wan," Padmé recalled.

"I've done some horrible things for many years. You may not believe it but I'm. .." Anakin started to say.

At that, Artoo charged at Anakin and zapped him in the backside with several electrical charges.

"OW! OW! OW!" Anakin yelped.

"_Darth Vader_! Impossible! What kind of short circuit could cause that mistake," Threepio sniffed.

"You're right, Artoo. I DID deserve that for all that I did against Padmé, my children, the Galaxy AND for sending a blast shot straight at you when I was chasing Luke over the First Death Star. I'm sincerely sorry about all that and I want all of us to be friends again. Never could pull any tricks on you, Old Friend," Anakin wryly laughed.

"I think dinner's getting cold," Leia cautioned.

"And I need to get dressed so I'll be back in no time," Anakin insisted as he ran off.

Less than a minute later, he reappeared in a sleeveless tan tunic and darker tan slacks with a utility belt- and open-toed leather calf-boots.

"Where did ya get that get-up?" Han asked .

"The Kaminoans have many changes of clothes at the ready for their patients- and 500 years past, some planet wanted to clone an acting troupe to play the parts of Jedi," Anakin explained.

"That's a Jedi uniform?" Luke gulped.

"From 500 years ago when the Order was more Spartan and less complacent than in . ..more recent times. I've had enough of hoods and capes for some time," Anakin explained.

"But. ." Luke started to say.

"I like this better. My new arms get to spar and hug unencumbered by sleeves- and I get to enjoy the novelty of feeling air through my toes again after over two decades of having no feet or legs," Anakin explained with a laugh as he hugged Padmé then flexed his toes while rejoining the others.

"Are we ever gonna eat? I'm starving!" Han whined.

They all sat down to the large banquet table with a large variety of meats, vegetables and drinks from all over the Galaxy.

"Mama, where have you been my whole life?" Luke asked.

"That's a very good question," Padmé sighed.

" It's quite something to hear," Leia proclaimed.

"Thank you. Well, after Mustafar, I knew that since the Jedi were hunted and our children had Jedi blood, I had to protect them even if it meant you had to be separated and I was no longer with you- AND I wanted to do all I could to see to it that Palpatine's smug 10 thousand year era prediction would not come true,"Padmé started.

"But, all of Naboo mourned you," Anakin said sadly.

"I know. After I bore the twins, I took a drug that induced the most shallow of breaths and made it appear I was dead and my own heart was broken again seeing everyone including my closest family mourn me," Padmé groaned.

"You put your own family through that? Why?" Luke asked.

"Because if they had no knowledge otherwise, no Sith could interrogate them to find where I or my babies were. I was perfectly still for five days until after the internment when I got safely pulled of my own sarcophagus," Padmé sighed.

"Who pulled you out? Ben Kenobi?" Han asked.

"No, he was busy finding a hiding place for Luke and Yoda was finding one for Leia at that time. It was someone named Jar-Jar. .." Padmé wryly laughed.

"Jar-Jar BINKS! " Anakin burst out laughing as he nearly choked on his blue bantha milk drink.

"You seem surprised!" Luke laughed.

"If you'd ever met Jar-Jar, you'd understand your father's reaction. He was clumsiest oaf imaginable who unintentionally messed up everything he touched- with one exception," Padmé laughed- as she pointed to herself.

"Not to mention that his sputtering jibberish was both annoying and not a little offensive. He could try an Angel's patience," Anakin recalled while looking at Padmé.

" And it was he who called on Palpatine to be granted 'special powers' in the Senate Hive," Padmé groaned.

"So why would Yoda, Obi-Wan. .?" Anakin asked.

"Because they knew he was literally the last individual ANYone would suspect of carrying out a plan successfully. I was surprised when he succeeded in getting me away from Naboo unharmed with no one else seeing me," Padmé recalled.

"Wow! I'd like to meet him," Luke beamed.

"Son, the novelty of wanting to know him would wear out after five minutes. Trust me," Anakin laughed.

"So, he actually pulled it off and didn't say anything?" Leia said in astonishment.

"Yes- and to make sure he didn't give anything away, by all accounts I've read from Naboo, he never uttered another sound the rest of his life. Everyone else thought it was due to extreme mourning for me, though, " Padmé sighed.

"So where did you go, My Angel?" Anakin asked.

"Many different places under many different names, I worked many jobs and lived hand to mouth but all along I worked in the rank and file of the Resistance,"Padmé explained.

"Oh, you had to know poverty? I'm so sorry, My Angel," Anakin groaned.

"Poverty's no hardship for me- as long as I know I'm helping," Padmé consoled.

"And I know you never ever were untrue to me- nor have I been to you," Anakin beamed while kissing her.

" I know you couldn't have been for so long due to. . . Mustafar," Padmé sighed.

"Even had I been able, that's the one thing I could have never done to your memory. And to think I accused you of horrible things, called you a liar and screamed at you in a tone of voice that would have spurred me to knock anyone else using it to you to the ground," Anakin groaned.

"It would have been easier to hate you if it had been another lover who turned your heart but competing against the Emperor, the Dark Side and the Empire? That was tough," Padmé groaned.

"And yet you didn't hide or give up and took all those risks with the Alliance. I'm quite amazed," Anakin gulped.

"I had to see to it our children and every other child in the Galaxy would be free," Padmé beamed.

"I wish I'd known you growing up," Luke started to cry.

"Me,too, my son! But I couldn't take the chance of Palpatine- and then Darth Vader finding you or Leia," Padmé cried while she, Luke and Leia all hugged.

"When did you know I was Darth Vader? Palpatine tried to make it seem as though he himself had concocted me from Mustafar onward-like he wanted everyone to think he'd done with Darth Maul," Anakin groaned.

"Oh, comparing your last atrocities with Vader's wasn't that hard, Ani. Did you ever find out that Palpatine was behind Qui-Gonn's. ..?" Padmé sniffed.

Anakin broke into a racking sob at that.

" A few years after Mustafar but by then I'd chosen to believe that ALL Jedi save myself were evil as per Palpatine's propaganda. Until Luke saved me, I refused to believe anything else," Anakin sobbed.

" I imagine the Sith had a great deal of propaganda," Leia deeply groaned.

"You wouldn't believe the extent of it! To console myself over wrenching myself from all those I loved, I made finding out the REAL story of the Sith my hobby. Did you know that it was Master Yoda himself who defeated Darth Plageus in combat over 800 years ago?" Padmé asked.

"Someone could live 800 years?" Han gulped.

"Master Yoda lived to be _900_ years old-until two months ago!" Luke beamed.

" But the Sith never would want to accept their defeat at Jedi hands, so they pretended that Darth Plageous had learned to halt death and create life. .." Padmé started to say.

"As if the Sith could create ANYthing," Luke sneered.

"Whoever believed that had to be unbelievably STUPID!" Han sputtered.

"**Tell** me about it," Anakin groaned while shaking his head.

"Anyway, from that point on, the successive Sith Masters all pretended to have BEEN Plageous's own Apprentice who'd backstabbed him in his sleep but not a single Sith ever lived past 100!" Padmé exclaimed triumphantly.

"In spite of them draining so much from so many," Leia groaned.

"Maybe _because_ of that!" Luke beamed with a snap of his fingers.

"But, of course, it wouldn't have done for them to admit that it was a Jedi who'd not only lived for centuries but had ALSO defeated their most powerful Master in times past- so, par for the course, they twisted the truth to an enticing self-serving lie," Padmé laughed.

"Who've thought we'd be eating dinner with the biggest Sith expert in the Galaxy- our mother?" Luke laughed.

"Ahem," Anakin pointed to himself.

"That's right," Leia gulped.

"But now that we have you, you can do MUCH to help me restart the Jedi Order including with your help in outflanking the Sith," Luke exclaimed.

"This family reunion stuff's nice an' mushy but don't ya have something to tell 'em, Your Highnessess," Han asked.

"Not now, Han," Leia groaned.

"No, I think now's as good a time as any, " Han insisted.

"OK, it's not that I don't love you, Mama or Luke and I'll tell everyone how we're related but . . ." Leia groaned.

"You're not going to be a Skywalker?" Luke sighed.

"It's your birthright and your safe now," Padmé pleaded.

" I know Mama- and the month we've been reunited I feel as though we've known each other my whole life. I hope we can ALL feel that way before too long," Leia sighed.

" I could feel Mama's love before I saw her- even without the Force!" Luke proclaimed.

"But, I'm an Alderaanean and will be my whole life- and I feel I owe it to my adoptive family who never made me feel anything but their beloved daughter to keep the Organa name alive," Leia explained.

"And being the only Organa to survive, you've been the inspiration the Alderaaneans have looked to these past four years," Luke conceded.

" I understand," Anakin said quietly.

"And I understand you DO wish you could take back what you allowed to happen to Alderaan," Leia quietly groaned.

After a few more hours of catching up (and finding out that the New Republic had yet to recapture Coruscant but was still headquartered in Endor), Anakin grew quiet.

"What's wrong, Ani," Padmé asked.

" I'm trying to drink this time in as best I can before I do what I must," Anakin groaned.

"Father, NO!" Luke begged.

"What's going on?" Han asked.

"Father wants to turn himself into the New Republic and throw himself on the mercy of their courts," Luke deeply groaned.

"About time!" Han beamed.

"Anakin, you don't have to prove your remorse to me, I can FEEL it!" Padmé pleaded as she clutched his right hand.

"Luke, I appreciate all you- and everyone have done for me but that doesn't change all the terrible things I did in the past or make them right," Anakin insisted.

"But they could _execute_ you!" Luke gulped.

"Or send me to Kessel rest of my life or put me in another prison. I know and I'm willing to accept whatever punishment they mete," Anakin said with a gulp.

"You don't have to do this," Luke pleaded.

" Yes, I DO! It won't be too long before everyone figures out that I was Vader and I don't want that soiling your, your sister's or mother's chances for new lives," Anakin pleaded.

"You won't! I'll tell everyone what you did for me- and the Galaxy with the Emperor!" Luke insisted.

"They'd think you were just making it up to protect me- as would you if you hadn't witnessed," Anakin sighed.

"But it's been so brief a time you've been free," Luke sniffed.

"Nothing and no one can take this time away from me!" Anakin implored.

"So it's straight to Endor then the hoosegow fer ya,right?" Han asked as they were fueling up while they were ready to leave Kamino's sheltered space port.

"No, on the way there, we need to stop in Tatooine. I need to give Mama a proper goodbye and introduce my family to her before my fate's decided," Anakin sighed.

"Fair enough, Pops, but no tricks!" Han warned.

"We'll tow bind Vader's craft to the Falcon, drop it off behind the Tatooine moon then go straight to Mos Eisley. Are you sure about this, Father?" Luke asked.

"Never been sure of anything else!" Anakin proclaimed as they boarded the Falcon.

"Why did I let you talk me into this?" Han asked as Anakin parked the large rented hovercraft outside the scorched remains of the Lars Homestead.

"Because, you and Chewie are almost as curious as I to see where Luke grew up and where my grandmother rests," Leia explained.

"Ani, oh, those Stormtroopers truly obliterated things here," Padmé sighed as he clutched her hand.

" I didn't mean for them,too. I just told them to seek out the blue hydromech droid that had Leia's plans. Never knew it was Artoo much less that he'd have headed here," Anakin gulped.

"And how many OTHER homes did you have them burn out the inhabitants of?" Han asked accusingly.

"I know it doesn't make it any more right my not knowing it was my family's but after awhile I convinced myself that everyone else was an insect to stomp on," Anakin groaned.

"I had to bury Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru with my bare hands AND your lightsabre digging into the ground!" Luke said- still bitter.

"I know," Anakin said sorrowfully.

"Did you ever find out it was. ..them and what did you do, Father?" Leia asked.

" A few days after the 1st Death Star's Explosion, I looked over the Stormtrooper reports over what they'd found in Tatooine and came upon this. When I discovered they'd desecrated my mother's resting place, I summoned those responsible into my Quarters and using my own physical strength, lifted them up one by one with my left GOOD hand and choked them. They never knew WHY," Anakin shuddered while looking at his left hand in horror.

"If it's any consolation, of all your atrocities I'm sorry you did, that's likely the least one I'm sorry about," Luke said quietly as they walked towards the scorched but still intact grave marker of Shmi Skywalker until Anakin came to its base and kneeled down on both knees..

" I can't. .can't believe we're ALL here after all these years. Hello, Nana Shmi, Uncle Owen, Aunt Beru," Luke gulped.

"Captain Solo, you must have thought I HAD no mother or came from an especially heinously brutal one but nothing could be further from the truth,"Anakin started to say.

"You mean, you went Sith IN SPITE of having a good mother?" Han gulped.

"Not good. An EXCELLENT one- as anyone who ever met her would attest to," Anakin gulped.

"It's true," Padmé quietly replied while hugging Anakin and their children on both sides of him who joined him in kneeling.

"Mama, it's your Ani. You sent me away because you believed I could bring hope to the hopeless. Instead I just spread more hopelessness than you can imagine. I went against everything you ever taught me and ignored the love you sent to follow me to follow the path of someone not worth an atom of your being,"Anakin sobbed.

Everyone (including Han) started to puddle up at that.

"You were taken from me by those Sand People in that wretch's employ and instead of following the path you and the good Jedi had shown me, I used my powers to become the most hideous of creatures hurting all who loved me! Even though death spared you seeing me doing that, I know you had to know and I'm sorry you've had to suffer," Anakin bawled.

Han momentarily thought of quipping about her not being the only one to suffer but, for once, kept it to himself.

"I leave here forever to let the New Republic inflict what they feel necessary to me- and I want you to know that your spirit lived on in your grandson Luke who saved me from an eternal prison worse than anything that can be done to me. HE is the Head of the Skywalker Family now for he,your granddaughter Leia and daughter-in-law Padmé embody what the Skywalkers were always meant to be. I pray can forgive me and we can meet again, Mama. Goodbye and thank Owen and Beru for raising Luke so well and for being willing to sacrifice themselves for his sake," Anakin sobbed.

Nothing else was said as they quietly planted desert flowers on the spot and Anakin carved a small marker for Owen and Beru using his lightsabre.

"You okay, Kid? Your pops made right by Grandma and we're almost at our docking bay," Han asked- as the eight of them were walking from the hovercraft rental store in Mos Eisley back to the Falcon's docking bay.

"I can't help but feel that there's more that needs to be done here," Luke insisted.

"I still don't LIKE your _old man_," Han started with an eye roll- not a little discomfited that Anakin appeared the same age as his children, Han's friends.

"Han," Leia started.

"But, I gotta admit it was good to find you've got some good genes his side that skipped a generation and I liked what he said about Grandma," Han added.

"But I agree with Luke, there was more that could be done here," Leia sighed.

"Well, it's over with now. It's in the Force's hands' now- courtesy of the New. .." Anakin groaned as they entered docking bay and saw a bent, deeply tanned, grey-haired man sweeping the docking bay floor.

"Ani! Ani Skywalker! You've come back to FREE US! I always KNEW you would, " the man exclaimed gave Anakin a bearhug right then and there.

"Kitster Banai? Is that you!"Padmé asked in astonishment.

"Lady Padmé, you live, too- and I see that this is your son, Luke!" Kitster beamed as he hugged Padmé as well.

"You've heard of me?" Luke gulped.

"Who hasn't! The way you defeated that awful Jabba's been the talk of the Outer Rim- and I knew you HAD to be Ani's son and could the princess who choked Jabba be Ani's daughter?"! Kitster exclaimed.

"Yes, it is," Leia said with a touch of pride- including some she wouldn't have expected in others identifying her as Anakin's daughter.

"Kitster, I. .don't . .. know what to say," Anakin gulped to his one-time friend his exact age.

"Why should you be surprised by these two? The way you won your own freedom in that Pod Race and became a JEDI! Come with me! I want all of you to meet my family!" Kitster exclaimed with pride.

"Family?" Anakin asked.

"You remember Amee. Well, we've been mates almost thirty standard years and we got to keep one son Bruard whose mate Chiara is going to make us grandparents in a few months! " Kitster beamed.

" I. ..wish I could but I must be going very soon, "Anakin gulped.

"It will only take a few minutes ! The Slave Quarters aren't too far. They haven't been moved. Wait'll they see the proof that you SURVIVED the Jedi Slaughter intact and the Force itself has preserved you at your physical peak so you can FREE us! Ani's not just the Chosen One but he's my best friend,too!" Kitster exclaimed while banging Anakin's back to the stunned group.

"We can stay long enough to meet your family. We'd be honored," Padmé enthused.

"Yeah, we sure WOULD!",Luke beamed.

"Luke, don't you, Leia and Padmé let Kitster drag us away from this ship," Anakin begged via the Force.

"Father, you yourself said don't underestimate the Power of the Force- and you're not keeping any of us away from hearing about your heroic childhood!" Luke replied via the Force.

"Chewie, get back here! What do you mean you want to find out about his slave experiences?" Han snarled as Chewbacca followed the others.

" Don't think that this is changing my. .." Anakin pleaded to Luke via the Force as he reluctantly followed the rest of them trailing Kitster.

"Father, what's a brief delay anyway?" Luke beamed to Anakin via the Force.


	4. Riddled

' What Are Friends For?' (Chapter Four)

By Ennon

A/N-

Thanks for everyone's support here! Here some more commentary:

BodomsGirl(Gracie)- Glad you really liked Ch#3 and can't wait for this one to come out. Sorry that #3's beginning wasn't as well-written but I hope that this one is consistently so for you!

Skywalking- I'm glad you like the idea of Anakin turning himself in and hope you like this impending chapter,too!

ONTO THE CHAPTER:

"Luke, you cannot make me change my mind!" Anakin pleaded via the Force.

"Father, just a few minutes, then we can take off for Endor- if you still want!" Luke replied via the Force.

Anakin sighed- as he saw Luke follow Leia, Padmé, the droids and Chewbacca trailing behind the eager Kitster Banai running out the docking bay with renewed vigor in his step.

"Well, ya can always stay here with me, Pops!" Han Solo smirked.

"Wait up, everyone! I'm on my way,"Anakin exclaimed with a gulp.

The group wound their way through the twisting alleyways of the poorer section of Mos Eisley towards Kitser's family's slave hovel which had a large cluster of slave children playing outside.

"I thought you said you and Amee only had the one. Are all these yours?" Padmé asked as they ran up to her to smell her subtle but pleasant perfume while she, Leia and Chewie all hugged their shoulders.

"No, Amee watches them while their parents labor. Same way the gracious Shmi often did with us!" Kitster beamed.

"Mister Banai, who are these Outworlders?" several of the small children asked.

"Remember, how I told you the story of my best friend Ani Skywalker, the Chosen One who'd return to free us?" Kitster asked with unmistable glee.

"Kitster, how many times have I asked you not to fill their heads with that rot," called out a woman with grey streaked brown hair with a somewhat lined and careworn face called out as she poked her head out the tiny paneless window cubhole inside.

"Amee, that's no way to talk about our guests!"Kitster gasped.

"Amee, is that you?" Padmé asked.

"Lady Padmé? You actually remember me?" Amee gulped.

Padmé nodded.

"Amee, where are your manners? Aren't you going to invite Ani and his family inside?" Kitster asked disappointed.

"Why didn't you tell me you were bringing home company- and shouldn't you be toiling another ten hours?" Amee gasped.

"I don't care if I get tracked down and beaten. Ani's return is too important for us to miss!" Kitster beamed.

"Come inside and I hope you'll excuse the clutter," Amee groaned-embarassed.

The entire group (including Chewie and the droids) squeezed inside the tiny hovel.

"Bring Ani and his family our best dishes!" Kitster insisted while Amee gave him a sour look.

"So, you knew my father when he was a child?" Luke asked in great curiosity.

"We were- ARE best friends! Ani, remember when we disguised ourselves as Jawas to rescue those children from that Hutt camp?" Kitster exclaimed.

"We're both far too tall to pass for those now," Anakin gulped.

"Ah, the Force has preserved you well, Ani- not even a line or scar after all these years!" Kitster exclaimed.

"It's not that simple. You should have seen me just two. .." Anakin groaned.

"We'd heard about all the Jedi were extinct after the Slaughter- except maybe for the odd wizard Kenobi in the Jundian Wastes," Kitster said in puzzlement.

"So many rumors after the Empire came," Amee sighed- as she passed some unglazed, very chipped cups to their guests.

"They said you'd died,too. But I never believed it, Ani! Just as I knew your son had been spared!" Kitster beamed.

"I somewhat did die, actually, but my family brought me back,"Anakin sighed.

"Oh, Luke, I'd heard about you but I could never leave Mos Eisley to seek you out. They restrict adult slaves' wanderings even more closely than childrens'," Kitster sighed.

"Do they still have those . . .exploding implants?" Padmé gulped clutching her chest while both Luke and Leia shuddered.

"Indeed, you know what it's like to bear a baby- only to watch helplessly as the slavers put one of those things inside them and, then, to be able to do nothing if the slavers decide to sell them away from you," Amee bitterly groaned while Luke, Leia and Padmé sadly shook their heads.

Chewbacca mournfully growled.

"Darling, our guests aren't here to hear our woes! They're here for us to celebrate Ani's return! "Kitster exclaimed.

"What rumors did you hear about our father?" Leia asked in uncertainty.

"Oh, that he died fighting to save the Younglings in the Corcuscant Jedi Temple but was struck down by that monstrous Sith Darth Vader," Kitster said with a shudder.

At that, Anakin suddenly threw down his plate and ran outside.

" Excuse me, I think my husband got some. . .food poisoning. I hope you don't mind my leaving to tending to him," Padmé gulped as she followed Anakin.

"Father, stay close by! You can STILL help your friends," Luke pleaded via the Force.

"No, Luke! I don't deserve to break bread with them after all I did- and _didn't_ do," Anakin groaned via the Force.

"Miss Leia, does your brother often go into trances?" Amee asked.

"You don't even know the half of it," Leia groaned.

"Anakin, don't try to hide from me," Padmé pleaded as she found Anakin balled up in a fetal position in a nearby alley.

"Kitster and his family live in a dump. He has to worry about all of them getting abused and blown up- and what have _I_ done for any of them?" Anakin said bitterly.

"You don't think I've wished I'd sent Republic credits from Naboo to buy all your friends and especially your mother out of bondage over the years?"Padmé consoled.

"What I did was far worse! I helped legalize slavery throughout the entire Empire- not just lament that the Old Republic had given the Outer Rim's slaves a blind eye," Anakin growled as he banged his ribs with his fists.

"We all have laments," Padmé tried to say.

"Laments! You say you're sad because when you were the twins' age, you could have bought my friends' freedom! Well, from the interest alone of the tax monies I confiscated, I could have easily bought this entire PLANET!" Anakin screamed.

"I'm sure we could get Leia to spare some monies for. .." Padmé considered.

"NO! Kitster and Amee were my best friends and I never thought to free them or even offer him a job on my. .." Anakin growled.

"Ani, why did you run out on us?" Kitster asked.

" Kitster, I'm no hero and no friend! Vader didn't battle me, I helped _create_ Vader!" Anakin said bitterly as he pointed to himself.

"What! Ani! I'd once heard that rumor in the Cantina but. .. "Kitster gulped.

"It's true. I'll urge Luke and Leia to see if they can help out but I'm due to go back to Endor for the New Republic to give me the punishment I so justly deserve," Anakin groaned.

For a time, Kitster, Padmé and Anakin were very quiet.

"Anakin, you're not the only one who ever sinned against those they love," Kitster groaned.

"You've never been anything but a good.. .." Anakin sputtered.

"Not you. Amee! I took our 2nd daughter as a newborn to the marketplace while Amee was recovering from the birth- and told her that slavers had grabbed the baby out of my hands like the others had been," Kitster shuddered while holding out empty arms.

"What happened?" Padmé asked.

"Truth be told, I'd run up a large sabaac debt and. .." Kitster started to cry.

"Oh, Kitster," Padmé shuddered as she put her arms around Anakin's oldest friend.

"It's okay, Lady Padmé. None of us are sinless but that doesn't mean it's ever too late for any of us to start walking the good path," Kitster exclaimed to Anakin.

"You remind me so much of Luke," Anakin beamed.

"It doesn't matter whatever you've done to anyone else or haven't done for me. That's not what makes you my best friend. You just are," Kitster shrugged.

"Really?" Anakin gulped.

"Yeah," Kitster quietly replied.

"Luke and Leia, you might as well join us out here. I know you've been listening in the entire time," Anakin exclaimed to Luke via the Force.

"You went into a trance just like your son. What is with you two?" Kitster asked.

"I'm only speaking for myself but I can't leave here before righting at least one wrong I'd promised to so long ago," Anakin exclaimed.

"You mean?" Padmé beamed.

"That's right! Endor's trials will have to wait. I'm staying here to free Tatooine's slaves!" Anakin beamed.

"That's great, Father! We'd be happy to. .." Luke exclaimed as he ran up and hugged Anakin- and succeeded in lifting his much taller father off the ground.

"NO! I won't risk any of your lives. This is MY duty to carry out," Anakin insisted as he was set back down.

"We may be markedly shorter than you but we're no weaklings, Ani!" Padmé exclaimed.

"I blew up the First Death Star with a single shot!" Luke insisted.

"Don't forget! I choked Jabba the Hutt himself with the very chain he used to enslave ME- and I can free the other harem captives!" Leia said proudly.

"The Force runs strong in our family, Father!"Luke beamed.

"And I successfully led that Naboo Army against the Trade Federation's Droid Troops when I was fourteen -_without_ the Force!" Padmé exclaimed pointing to herself.

"Where are you going, Chewbacca, Artoo? What do you mean you want to join the Slave Revolt?" Theepio frantically called after the Wookiee and Artoo who ran ahead of him towards the others.

" I appreciate your sincere offers but all of you have your whole lives ahead of you. I can't bear the thought of losing any of you-again. It's MY fight,"Anakin exclaimed.

"Father, you wanted me to join you in the Dark Side- and now you can't stand for me to join you in something good and noble?" Luke asked aghast.

"I once heard a wise little boy say that fear only attracts the fearful," Padmé pleaded while clutching onto her japor snippet pendant.

"Uncle Owen always said that there was nothing we could do about the Empire but I _did_ something about it. Now for the Nana Shmi's, yours and the slaves' sakes, I must do all I can to abolish it!" Luke insisted.

"Ani, as long as you're on the Light Side, our family will be with you-always. Let us take the risks and join you," Padmé pleaded.

"Are the six of you sure about this?" Anakin asked while everyone who could put their hand atop his.

Threepio started to speak but Artoo quickly gave him a series of the most foul warning beeps while Chewbacca put a fist to Threepio's head.

"The Skywalker Seven will be at your service, Kitster!" Anakin exclaimed.

"Oh, that's wonderful! Wait til I tell the others!" Kitster beamed.

"Not so fas, Kitster. Luke, Leia, I want you to see this so you can learn ," Anakin solemnly intoned as he waved his right hand over Kitster's somewhat sunken chest.

"I feel a radiance coming from inside- but you're hand's not touching even my shirt," Kitster gulped.

Anakin put lined his fingers into a saw shape then slowly waved them back and forth until. ..

"What's happening?" Kitster asked.

"Something wonderful I only witnessed one time before with Master Qui-Gonn," Padmé beamed.

Anakin pulled back his hand slightly.

"How did that object get into my shirt?" Kitster asked.

"Is. .is that Mr. Banai's detonator?" Leia asked- as Anakin reached inside Kitster's shirt front and pulled out a hexagonical- red metallic object the size of a thumbnail- coated with a small amount of blood.

Luke and Padmé nodded.

Kitster took off his tunic shirt in astonishment as he saw only a small white line directly over his chest and a tiny amount of blood.

"Ani, you. . .you FREED ME!" Kitster gulped.

" Not quite as well as Master Qui-Gonn had done with me. He left no blood whatsoever behind," Anakin recalled.

"Oh, thank you, Ani!" Kitster beamed.

"And I never properly thanked him for it," Anakin sighed.

"Father, both in word and deed, you did!" Luke proclaimed.

"Why now?" Han asked as the group approached the Falcon.

" Because it's long overdue," Padmé explained.

"Look, as soon as they finish establishing the New Republic, they'll. .." Han sputtered.

" Less than 5 percent of the Galactic planetary systems have been recaptured as of today," Leia groaned.

"The rest of the galaxy is being divvied up into fiefdoms by ex-Imperial Commanders, ex-regional Governors and local thugs as we speak," Padmé groaned.

"We're lucky Mama was in one of the liberated systems when we found her," Leia sighed.

"But once Coruscant's retaken. .." Han groaned.

"We waited for the Old Republic to free us too long. We're the only ones who can help!" Anakin pleaded.

" Good delay tactic. Knew it!" Han sneered.

"Captain Solo, I know we don't see eye-to-eye but I'd rather die knowing I'd helped my homeworld gain its freedom than wonder what may have been in prison. As soon as it's liberated, I'll see to it the authorities do what they believe just to me," Anakin groaned.

"But you're going against human, Hutt and Toydarian gangsters- as well as having to deal with Jawas and Sand People, "Han groaned.

"Come on,Han. Why don't you take a look around you? You know what we're up against. We could use your help!" Luke pleaded.

"Look, I just finished helping ixnay the Empire and am a full-fledged New Republic General. You wanted me respectable, Princess- so now I AM. This ain't my problem. Fire up the engines, Chewie," Han boiled.

Chewbacca groaned.

"What! But your Life Debt," Han sneered.

Chewbacca menacingly growled.

"You're a fine one to talk of liberty and democracy when you've kept Chewbacca in bondage all these years," Padmé boiled as she approached Han in front of Chewbacca.

"Amber Lady, Chewie's my first mate and best friend. Besides, he was the one who insisted on it after I saved him from the . .. ." Han started to yell then paused.

"Spit it out, Han. The SLAVERS!" Leia fumed.

"Yeah, and considering that Chewie, Leia and I saved YOUR life from Jabba, shouldn't you be in Life Debt to at least Chewie?" Luke argued.

"I don't believe you people!" Han boiled.

"What?" Luke asked.

"Your Pops pounds the Galaxy with mega waves of destruction and misery some twenty years cos of some inferiority complex overkill until he gets tanked and rebuilt two months ago- and now cos I don't wanna join him ONE TIME, _I'm_ the bad guy!" Han sneered and went inside.

"Oh, it's ALL about you!" Leia boiled.

"Do whatever ya want. I'm putting your stuff out! You can find your own way back to Endor. I don't need any of you!" Han fumed as he went inside and started unloading their belongings.

"Han, you take off without me, you'll regret it!" Leia fumed.

"I ain't stopping you from leaving _with_ me!" Han sneered- as he then closed the hatch and started the engines.

The rest of them cleared the docking bay then watched the Falcon take off.

"I. .can't believe he's gone," Leia cried.

"Maybe you two can one day work things out," Padmé consoled as she hugged her daughter and brushed the stray hairs from her forehead.

"I'll miss him,too, .Maybe one day, you'll find someone else. Plenty of comets in the galaxy," Luke sighed while patting her shoulder.

"But none of them are like him," Leia sobbed.

"Thank the Force," Anakin quipped.

"Ani," Padmé snapped.

"Sorry, " Anakin groaned.


	5. Moments from Eternity

'Worth His Salt' (Chapter Five)

By Ennon

A/N-

BodomsGirl(Gracie)- Glad you really liked #4,too- and I hope this will prove to be worth the wait!

Doreenthatshot- Thanks for all the kudos. Great to see that you decided to check out this one after that previous one! Hope this update rocks for you!

Jackskellington666- Glad you think Anakin's right in turning himself in AND that the latest chappies rock (seems to be a common theme)! LOL

Skywalking- Yeah, he's noble and I HAVE noticed Anakin being somewhat of a drama queen (and like to think I haven't overlooked that facet). Glad you liked how he helped Kitster and Anakin's Solo comment. Hope the update wait wasn't too long (another theme)! LOL

"Just visualize the object and concentrate when lifting, Daughter," Anakin pleaded a week later while he and Luke were helping Leia hone her Force capacities in Obi-Wan's Tatooine hermit home.

" I'm _trying_! Unh. ..Omph. Why should lifting a pillow _this_ way be so hard?" Leia groaned- as the small throw pillow barely lifted one corner off the floor.

"It's like a babystep. Crawling only seems easier because that's what you're _used_ to," Luke encouraged.

"Just concentrate!" Anakin pleaded.

"Master Luke, Master Anakin, Mistress Leia,Mistress Padmé, Tashi Station doesn't carry my brand of lubricant and I'm barely able to move," Threepio sputtered as he came into room.

"We'll try to send Leia and Padmé with Chewbacca into Mos Eisley tomorrow to find it," Anakin groaned- while he was mentally trying to encourage Leia to levitate the throw pillow.

"Perhaps you could contact General Solo and. ." Threepio suggested.

"ARGH!Threepio," Leia growled as she dropped the throw pillow.

"And she was CLOSE to getting it! Why did you have to mention that name?" Anakin boiled.

"It was just a suggestion and. .." Threepio sputtered.

"It's okay. We all miss him," Luke sighed while Padmé nodded.

"Miss him? HA! After he just left us high and dry ? I wouldn't give him the satisfaction!" Leia boiled.

"Come on. You don't mean it," Luke scoffed.

"Don't tell me what I mean! Father, could you teach me how to do that Force Lightning thing now? " Leia scoffed.

"We haven't tested your or Luke's midichorinian levels yet," Anakin cautioned.

" Oh, but I can REALLY visualize wanting to use that at this moment," Leia sneered.

" Can't Artoo test those?" Luke asked.

"I'll have to add that to his programming when he and Chewbacca return," Anakin sighed.

"Mama, haven't they returned from Mos Eisley yet?" Luke asked.

"No, but I'm sure they'll be back in no time," Padmé assured her son while going up to hug him.

"Maybe we should start looking. Luke, you and Leia start to the east while your mother and I will start searching to the west of here. If we don't find anything in two hours, we'll regroup here," Anakin insisted.

"Excuse me, Master Anakin but what should I do?" Threepio asked.

"Lock the door," Anakin snapped.

"Do the dishes," Padmé added.

"And hope no intruders come here with blasters," Luke insisted.

An hour later, Luke suddenly stopped and took out his green lightsabre.

"What is it?" Leia asked.

"I feel Chewie is in pain but I can't focus where he could be and I also feel. .. Han," Luke sighed.

"Han? He's back! Where could he be?" Leia asked.

" I can't pinpoint it. I think he's being moved but I can't tell by what," Luke groaned.

"We'll have to run back to Ben's then take the hovercraft to find Father and Mama. They have Artoo's commonlink. Have you got where they are?" Leia asked.

"Yes, they're in a. . cave half a kilometer west of the house and, oh can't they ever wait? .." Luke chuckled.

"What are you talking. .? _Ewww_!" Leia shuddered as she herself got what Luke was saying.

A few minutes later in a certain cave with only the light of Anakin's balanced red lightsabre providing illumination . .

"Oh, Ani!"Padmé screamed.

"Oh, My Angel!" Anakin shouted.

" AHEM," Leia coughed- as she and Luke got to the cave entrance but turned their heads in the opposite direction..

"Would you believe your mother lost a hair clasp and I was helping her look for it?" Anakin gulped- as he and Padmé quickly unclasped themselves from each other and scrambled for their clothing.

"Haven't you children ever heard of knocking?" Padmé groaned while she and Anakin quickly helped each other back into their clothes..

"In a cave?" Luke laughed.

"We're dressed now so could you please tell us what this is about?" Padmé groaned while Luke and Leia turned their heads towards their parents and started walking towards them.

"Luke sensed something about Chewie and. .Han. Haven't you heard from Artoo on the comlink?" Leia asked.

"Uhm, it got turned off," Anakin groaned.

"When you two got turned _on_!" Luke laughed-while poking Anakin and Padmé in the ribs.

"Luke, we may have. .. gotten distracted but we're still your parents and are due your respect," Anakin snapped.

"It's Artoo again!" Leia gulped as she switched on the comlink over which was heard some very frantic beeps.

" You and Chewbacca were met at the Mos Eisley city gates by . .. Han? " Padmé gasped.

"Solo? What's he doing here?" Anakin sputtered.

"And then you three were attacked by Sand People and they knocked Chewie unconscious and carried off Han despite your best efforts?" Padmé gulped as she responded to the rest of Artoo's beeps.

"Now why was Han . ..?" Luke asked.

"Sunglasses!" Anakin snorted after Artoo answered Luke's question with beeps.

"Hang on, Artoo! Leia and I will be there in the hoverspeeder to pick you and Chewie up so we can tend to him," Padmé pleaded.

"I can take care of the Sand People," Anakin boiled.

"Father, no! Think of all the hard work you've been through to make it back to the Light Side," Luke gasped.

"Luke, Dark and Light Side doesn't apply to Sand People. They're savages who only understand intimidation," Anakin boiled.

"No, I don't believe you! I won't let you go back!" Luke pleaded.

"You told me that you were attacked by them for no reason the very morning. .. you first left Tatooine," Anakin groaned.

"But, now I see there WAS a reason! If they hadn't hurt me, Ben wouldn't have felt my distress, sought me out and tended to me," Luke insisted.

"What does that have to do with. ..?" Anakin asked.

"Don't you see, Father. If that hadn't happened, I could have been wandering around in the South Range looking for Artoo when the Stormtroopers came and. ." Luke pleaded.

" Owen and Beru's sacrifice to protect you would have been in vain because the Stormtroopers likely would have seen you," Anakin shuddered while he and Padmé tightly hugged Luke close to them.

"Besides, since our return here, haven't you _felt _something that may be from one of them?" Luke asked as they broke the hug.

"From a Sand People person? Impossible," Anakin sniffed.

" I'm sure more than one Jedi thought that about Outer Rim slaves," Luke snapped.

"Ooh, you'd better be right about this, Son, " Anakin sighed while wagging his right index finger.

"Even if he isn't, what we learn from this experience could help us in the longrun," Padmé pleaded.

"Oh, Angel. How I'm glad our children have so much of _you_ in them!" Anakin beamed as he hugged her.

"Mama, we'd better see to Chewie and Artoo while Luke and Father make plans," Leia insisted.

Han was tied up in the middle of the Sand People camp and drifting in and out of consciousness. Every time he tried to ask for water, he got a blunt bang from a Gaffi stick by his Sand People warrior guard. He wondered if he could somehow send a message to Luke about his current locale. He couldn't understand why this had happened to him. The Sand People men went straight for him and ignored both Artoo and Chewie- and what were they doing so close to the city wall away from the Jundland Wastes?

Suddenly, he saw a Sand People man and a shorter Sand People youth leading a bantha with a large basin strapped on its back. Han's Sand People captors immediately ran towards the pair with gaffi sticks and tried to block access but then suddenly, the Sand People youth raised a hand and the others suddenly put their gaffi sticks down. They then accepted the offering of the tank which contained 100 liters of . . WATER which the two struggled to unload from the bantha's back. Then, the Sand People youth walked towards the captors and gestured to one of their own youths who declared (via grunts and gestures) his independence from his parents and insisted on going with the two. While this was happening, Han noticed the taller Sand People man walk towards him.

"No, not another torture session. I ain't in the mood," Han snapped.

"Hold still. I need to cut you free," Anakin whispered as he physically yanked the ropes apart.

"Kitster Banai?" Han asked in puzzlement.

"No, it's the Trash Compactor Monster," Anakin hissed.

"Oh, no! Not THIS!" Han groaned while he slumped.

"Captain Solo, as overwhelming as your gratitude is, I can't help but think you came back for something," Anakin sighed as he braced Han's wobbly weight.

"I forgot where Chewie put the sunglasses so I came back to ask," Han shrugged.

"I doubt you risked getting demoted and decommissioned for that! Why do I have the feeling you missed them and want to help?" Anakin asked.

"For the record, it's for Chewie, the Kid, the Princess , Amber Lady and the slaves NOT you!" Han sneered.

"Why do I sense that your hostility towards me isn't entirely due to my past atrocities?" Anakin asked as he started leading Han outside the camp.

"What do you care? You get to play **hero** all over again!" Han sneered.

"What we think of each other is irrelevant .However; if we are to work together, we need to be at least civil. Whoa, that sounded so much like Obi-Wan," Anakin wryly laughed.

" Can't argue that," Han shrugged.

"So there's some jealousy mixed in with your disapproval of my past," Anakin pondered.

"Don't be. ..!" Han boiled.

"Captain Solo, don't forget that I'm versed in both Jedi Mind Tricks and in Sith Weakness-Seeking Techniques," Anakin laughed.

"Ever since I first took the Kid off this Rock for three solid years all the way to Hoth, I never stopped hearing from him what a great Jedi Anakin Skywalker this, what a great hero that Anakin Skywalker, his fath-. .you were," Han groaned.

"Really?" Anakin exclaimed.

"Yeah, you know what it was like for me to compete with your rep?" Han boiled.

"I never quite thought of that," Anakin pondered.

"We BOTH jumped megahoops to aim for your perfect mark . Finally, just when he when we was starting to give ME that look he used to get when he talked about his perfect father, you're starting the hero thing all over again with him and everyone," Han sneered.

" At least you don't have to simulateously live UP to a past rep while living DOWN Vader's," Anakin sighed.

"Hey! We can't have bonded here," Han snorted.

"Of course not, Captain Solo. As far as the others are concerned, our mutual civility is due to caring about the same people and causes, " Anakin scoffed.

"So you're coming for me was your way of thanking me for keeping the Kid and Princess safe all that time?" Han laughed.

"You really don't make things easy, General Solo," Anakin groaned.

"Well, just so you know, I DO have something to offer everyone more important than my sunglasses. Here's SALT in your eye!"Han smirked.

"Chewie, I can sense them, too!" Leia exclaimed after Chewie gave a triumphal roar as she and Padmé carefully blotted Chewbacca's cuts with anticeptic while he stretched out on Ben's hermit dwelling floor.

"All of them?" Padmé asked.

"Yes, and they're bringing a fourth individual," Leia said in puzzlement.

With Luke and Anakin having finally taken off their Sand People face masks, they were seen half carrying in Han while leading a Sand People youth.

" I'll be damned," Leia gulped.

"Leia, our boys have found all found their way home," Padmé beamed while she and Leia hugged.

"At last, Master Luke, Master Anakin and Captain Solo! Artoo also expresses his relief!" Threepio exclaimed.

"And, we're relieved to see you,too,Threepio!" Luke replied as the four of them came inside.

"You have any idea how hard it's been to communicate with Cxrvce?" Anakin laughed.

"Who!" Padmé and Leia asked at the same time.

"Our Sand People protégé! He's the Force carrier Luke and I have felt since we landed here," Anakin proclaimed.

"You're actually going to train a Sand People youth to be . ..a Jedi, Father?" Leia gulped.

"Hard to believe, I know," Anakin groaned.

At which point Cxrvce started grunting which totally puzzled Chewie.

"He says that the reason they attacked Captain Solo was because he'd been seen talking to you, Master Anakin," Threepio gulped.

"Talking to me?" Anakin gasped.

Cxrvce growled some more.

"Master Anakin says that since you'd slaughtered that Sand People village _26 years ago_! That can't be right. You weren't even been **born** at that time," Threepio sputtered.

"Never mind the logistics. We need you to interpretate for us,"Anakin groaned.

Through Threepio, Cxrvce explained that the neighboring Sand People village had kidnapped Shmi due to their women and children having gotten a plague but them not being able to afford medicine from the Toydarians. They were promised monies by the 'Dark Cloaked One' Palpatine to kidnap, and torture Shmi and kill as many human moisture farmers as possible for the monies but it backfired on all of them when Anakin slaughtered the village. Ever since then, they'd attacked anyone they believed were associated with Anakin (including Luke)! It would take a good week of strenuous and even argumentive and accusive negotiations on Anakin, Luke, Threepio, Cxrvce and the other Sand People's parts, but they, the human slaves, moisture farmers and Jawas all realized that they'd been kept at battle with each other down the centuries for the the Hutts, Toydarians and the human slavers, bounty hunters' interests.

"Okay, Chewie, you're sure the last of those charges are ready?" Han asked- a month later while Chewbacca nodded.

"Luke, Leia, you know what to do!" Anakin insisted as the three concentrated together.

At once, every one of the slave implant detonator radio towers was exploded via the Force in Mos Eisley and virtually every part of Tatooine.

"Kitster, are you and Bruard ready to moblize the freed slaves to make a run towards Tashi Station?" Anakin asked.

"We are with you, Ani, but are you sure about the. .. Sand People?" Kitster asked.

"I realized that instead of fighting them blow for blow, we could do better if we tried to work together what we each wanted. That first import of water slackened a lot more than thirst," Luke laughed.

"You're not going to let me live that one down, Son," Anakin groaned.

"You never even learned their language but Cxrvce's teaching both of us," Luke laughed.

"Cxrvce was virtually an outcast in his village for using his Force abilities for pranks but he IS the first New Jedi Padawan Luke's training- and he's gotten them to join us," Anakin hastily whispered.

"But a Sand Person Jedi?" Kitster gulped.

"Coruscant wasn't built in a year and we need everyone who can help! Tatooine will have plenty more resources to go around once we rid it of Hutts, Toydarians and human slavers!" Luke enthused.

Though chased by bounty hunters with blasters , most of the slaves made it with their families to Mushroom Mesa thanks to Luke and Anakin using the Force to snatch the blasters out of the bounty hunters' hands and into the former slaves. Leia and Padmé made raids into several Hutt harems and freed hundreds of captives without getting captured. From all directions, they were being chased by the Hutts,Toydarians and their allies into Tashi Station which was a large, barren plateau surrounded by slopes on all sides.

"Hutts, Toydarians have us completely surrounded," Kitster gulped.

"Dad, why didn't you listen to Mom and me about getting our hopes up? At least there was a chance for Chiara and my baby to live as a slave. Now, he or she will be killed before birth," the 28-year-old Bruard Batai groaned.

"I'd rather have us die free or not be born at all than have us being subjected to any more enslavement. Ani will help us! You'll see!" Kitster pleaded while his mate Amee and their son gravely shook their heads.

"Luke, you remember Beggar's Canyon east of here?" Anakin asked Luke via the Force.

"Yeah, just like where that reactor vent was located on the First Death Star," Luke recalled.

"That wasn't a coincidence," Anakin laughed via the Force.

"What about it?" Luke asked via the Force.

"It's actually a volcanic fissure and I believe there's a great amount of steam trapped 50 meters beneath its surface crack. I want you and Leia to join me in concentrating the Force to move the rocks just enough to let the steam vent," Anakin pleaded via the Force.

"Father, are you sure? I've barely moved throw pillows," Leia groaned via the Force.

"Those weren't important. These ARE! Besides, once we get the steam close enough to the surface, it will take care of the rest!" Anakin replied via the Force.

"Just visualize the rocks in your head, Leia," Luke pleaded outloud.

"Ha! Ha! Luke," Leia snapped.

"You know what I mean. Concentrate! The three of us can work this together," Luke pleaded via the Force.

Luke and Leia both visibly strained and became sweaty but Anakin kept his composure until.

"That's IT! We DID it!" Luke exclaimed.

"We DID it!" Leia beamed while she, Luke and Anakin all hugged each other's shoulders.

"We now have a geyser in Beggar's Canyon! You're ready, Father?" Luke asked via the Force.

"I need to wait until you and Leia drag the new steam cloud in this direction!" Anakin cautioned.

"I don't believe it," Han gulped while hovering overhead in the Falcon.

"You've known my son and husband for how long?" Padmé laughed while she kept control of steering mechanism.

"HUMAN SLAVES and Sand People! We have you surrounded! IF you surrender to us, we will only scatter your families to other planets but if you don't then we will make sure all of you die agonizing deaths!" Gardulla the Hutt (Anakin's onetime owner).

"Children, hurry!" Anakin pleaded via the Force.

"It's almost here!" Luke insisted via the Force.

Suddenly the large steam cloud from Beggar's Canyon hovered over the Mushroom Mesa where all 55,000 freed slaves and 4,000 Sand People were concentrated.

"Now, it's time!" Anakin proclaimed- as suddenly he concentrated and kicked up a large amount of fine sand from the surrounding plain which he sent into the cloud- causing it to. .

"RAIN! Ani, made it rain! I TOLD you he was the Chosen One!" Kitster beamed-as quite a few Tatooine frogs suddenly hopped to life from the newly formed mud and puddles.

"Ha! Ha! You've got us ALL wet! You think THAT will change anything?" Watto the Toydarian sneered while this rain soaked into the ground.

"You will let all the slaves and former harem captives stay free, reunite their families, pay off your bounty hunters then LEAVE here forever," Anakin,Luke, Leia and the Sand Person Cvxvre simultaneously sent out to the Hutts, Toydarians and human slavers.

"You think some WATER will get us vulnerable to Jedi Mind Tricks, weaklings?" Gardulla laughed.

"Nah, but here's SALT in your eye, lady!" Han smirked as he and Chewie squirted a large quantity of brine at all from one of Tatooine's brine lakes from a firehose, tank contraption via the Falcon that came he, Anakin and Chewbacca had built together. Han and Chewie had rerouted the brine into the machine gunner's nests and squirted the Hutts, Toydarians and human slavers that were surrounding the Mushroom Mesa while Padmé and Artoo were piloting the Falcon.

"Have a heart! Make them STOP!" Gardulla the Hutt pleaded- while all the Hutts and Toydarians were writhing in agony.

"What did I tell ya, Chewie? Hutts are nothing but big slugs that just need their hides soaked to bring out their REAL skin. Same with Toydarian waterbugs and slugs and waterbugs in all galaxies can't STAND salt!"Han smirked.

Chewbacca protested.

"Yes, Chewie, I believe you but Han did risk it all to return to help us," Padmé consoled.

"Now, I don't want to have to repeat myself a third time. You will FREE the slaves and harem captives, help reunite slave families, pay off the human bounty hunters and slavers then LEAVE here forever- OR you and your progeny will risk having more brine on your inner skins!" Anakin proclaimed while he, Luke, Leia and Cxcvce used the Jedi Mind trick with him again.

"We will FREE the slaves and harem captives, help reunite the slave families, pay off the human bounty hunters and slaver then LEAVE here forever," the large group of Hutts and Toydarians said in unison.

"Cxcvrce, Leia, Luke, I knew they'd see reason!" Anakin laughed.

In a week, every condition of Anakin's terms was met by the Hutts and Toydarians. Without the backing of the Hutts and Toydarians, their human bounty hunters and slavers quickly felt too outnumbered to linger in Tatooine- and fled barely hours after the last of the Hutts and Toydarians.

"Our planet is YOURS, Ani! All our peoples will proclaim you its ruler!" Kitster exclaimed while everyone celebrated when the last of the Hutt allies' vessals left while they held a large banquet at the Mushroom Mesa.

"No, I didn't do this for that! You helped re-awaken who I was more than anyone outside my family. I'm ready to turn myself into the New Republic authorities- as I'm sure this news won't stay in the Outer Rim for long, " Anakin sighed.

"You may get off the hook altogether, Pops. General Rexler of the Coruscant Central Command just captured the Bative System," Han groaned- as he saw his handheld pocket holovid's Galactic newscast.

"Oh, no! That's only five systems away from Endor. We need to DO something, " Luke exclaimed.

"What are you talking about?"Han asked.

"We're commissioned officers in the New Republic. Now that we've freed Tatooine, we need to be getting back to protect Endor," Luke pleaded.

"No, I think Coruscant's where we need to be headed next," Anakin exclaimed.

"Corcuscant. .. but that's where General Rexler's at and he has all that Imperial firepower. . . " Leia gulped.

"Precisely," Anakin replied.

"Ani, we can't possibly take on the ex-Imperial capital planet's defenses," Padmé gulped.

"Don't forget just on the dark side of the Tatooine moon, is Vader's Shuttle," Anakin exclaimed.

"With the readouts of every single Imperial base and installation," Han said excitedly.

"But those readouts are three months old. General Rexler will have no doubt changed the codes," Leia gasped.

"Daughter, you should know that virtually the only Imperials with any planning or imagination were myself and Palpatine. Between me and Artoo, I think we can wing around things," Anakin laughed- as he stretched himself out in the seat of the banquet table.

"But there's just eight of us," Han groaned.

"We've pulled ourselves out before with even less odds in our favor. Besides, with Father's skills and Force powers working WITH us, I'd say we can do it!" Luke exclaimed.

"Ani, Luke, the risk is too great," Padmé sighed.

"If we go back to Endor, the risk of ex-Imperials crushing the New Republic and trying to take me away from justice would be greater," Anakin groaned.

"And there are too few against all of them," Leia added.

"We'll help you, Chosen One!" Kitster beamed.

"You don't have to," Anakin insisted.

"No, now that you've given us a taste of what it's like to be REAL men and women fighting for our freedom, we'd like to offer our services to the Galaxy!"Kitster started to say.

"Services? You're not soldiers!" Anakin scoffed.

"We just did soldier to win our freedom!" Kitster beamed.

"One battle isn't the same as having been trained in combat for years," Anakin sighed.

" Besides, if we're successful in helping you and your family recapture Coruscant from the ex-Imperial General, the New Republic will NEVER be able to take Tatooine for granted again," Kitster exclaimed.

"Are you insane? We just got our freedom and now you want to risk our lives?" Kitster's mate Amee sighed.

"We'd be able to free so many OTHER Outer Rim slaves. Didn't it feel good to get those implants out?" Kitster beamed.

"Of course, and it feels good to know our future grandchild won't ever have to suffer getting one," Amee conceded.

"Then, we Tatooinians can offer our services to do that for ALL slaves in the Galaxy and the Hutts and Toydarians left quite a few spacecraft for us to use in their haste," Kitster proclaimed.

"Oh, the things we DO for you! Why can't men be easier, Lady Padmé?" Amee sighed while Leia nodded.

"Then they'd be boring and unamusing," Padmé wryly laughed.


	6. Last Eyewitness

' Riddled' (Chapter Six)

By Ennon

A/N- YodasPadawan- Glad you considered #5 fantastic and I hope you don't do too much damage waiting for #7.

Emgirl1904- Glad you believed #5 to be awesome- and it's not untrue what was said at the end.

Skywalking- Glad you didn't think Anakin was too MUCH of a drama queen here. I always thought that Han and Vader weren't entirely different in MO so possibly might bond but wouldn't want to admit it. Yes, I've got some discount sunglasses that stick around. Oh, I always thought the Hutts' bark was worse than their bite but you're right if it was easy it would be no fun for them to win their freedom (or to read about it-shameless plug). Not sure if Anakin's like the Hulkster in that so far he's not seeking a reality show to showcase Leia as a pop star. Don't worry about the comment being long, it was fun to read with lots of interesting points, etc.!

CHAPTER COMMENCES

"Whoa! Look at that size of the city! I never knew any city could be THAT big," Luke gulped as he, Han, Leia, Padmé, Anakin, Chewbacca and the droids were riding cramped in Vader's Shuttle with Anakin at the steering controls while nearing Coruscant.

"Yeah, even Space Worms could get lost in it," Han gulped.

"Why does everyone have that reaction seeing it for the first time?" Leia laughed.

" Boys, you've been our good guard-guides in your Outer Rim wilderness. Now it's Anakin's, Leia's and my turn to help find your bearings in this one!" Padmé insisted.

" I just wish I felt better leaving the Falcon behind on that asteroid 50 light-years away," Han groaned.

"As the Falcon's as every bit the Rebellion's prize ship, we can't chance ex-Imperials capturing it and trying to trace us with it. With these disguises, we can fool them into thinking we're simply patrollers who happened upon Vader's Shuttle and are here to collect its bounty,"Anakin explained.

"And with the Tatooinians landing following us in the Huttese cast-off ships helping incite that Coruscant citizen rebellion, perfect time for us to capture the Command Center while they're too distracted to think of guarding it," Luke beamed.

"I don't know. I just have the feeling it's been too easy," Leia groaned.

"Easy? You call us getting into the dogfight 25 light years away easy? We're lucky your Pops is such a quick shot or else none of us would have made it another meter," Han groaned.

"No matter what happens, I'll always be grateful for us getting these new chances to work together," Leia exclaimed as she kissed Han on the lips.

"Whoa! Ya think I'm gonna get vaporized or somethin'?" Han laughed after they broke the bond.

"The city is in full rebellion!" Kitster Banai explained with his eyes wide open a few days later while he joined Anakin with the others to sneak into the Command Center (which happened to be in one of the inner wings of the Imperial Palace.

"And General Rexler's troops are spread out all over the streets trying to crush it! Now's our chance!" Padmé exclaimed .

"Are you sure you and the other Tatooinians will be okay here until we return?" Anakin asked.

"Of course! It's too dazzling to be frightening. What a great journey you've taken us on, Ani!" Kitster beamed as he joined the other Tatooinians outside.

" It just doesn't seem right," Leia groaned.

"Leia, could you chuck the negativity? We're almost inside!" Han snapped.

"You're sensing it could be a trap, right," Anakin pondered.

"Lando had the same thing happen over Endor but he knew he wouldn't get another chance- nor will we. Come on!" Luke pleaded- as he, Anakin, Han and Chewie started climbing inside the ventilation shafts.

"Once Leia,Cxvcre,Threepio and I are inside, we'll send Artoo to meet you in the Control Room. May the Force be with us!" Padmé whispered.

"Luckily, Leia can communicate with Father and me via the Force so we can don't have to worry about any transmission interception or comlink failures," Luke sighed as they split up from his mother, sister, the Sand Person Padawan and the droids.

"One thing we need to keep in mind with General Rexler is ,while he's not very smart, he _is_ a Force wielder," Anakin groaned while they were inside the shafts.

"Great, NOW you tell me," Han groaned.

"Han, with our Sand Person Padawan Cxrvce, there's four of us against one of him- and I'm sure his midichlorian count isn't anywhere close to Leia's and my mid-teens or Father's 45,000 level," Luke encouraged.

"So you guys outnumber him, right?" Han asked.

"Technically, yes, but with such a strong Force concentration, he's likely been sensing us since at least as long as we've been on Corucscant.. Maybe Leia and Cxrvce's splitting from Luke and me will temporarily confuse him," Anakin replied.

"Oddly enough, he's not moving from the Control Room- although he's sent troops to surround the Imperial Palace," Luke sighed.

"Great," Han groaned.

Anakin was the first to emerge from the ventilation shaft and dropped behind several guards.

"We will say and do nothing while letting the liberators take over the room," Anakin droned in his Jedi Mind Trick voice while holding up his hand.

"We will say and do nothing while letting the liberators take over the room," the fourteen soldiers said in unison.

"Lord Vader, we've been expecting you," the 35-year-old redhaired human man General Rexler exclaimed.

"I do not answer that name," Anakin snarled.

"Tell your compatriots to surrender immediately and let me debrief you or I'll. .." General Rexler started to say.

"You're actually trying to Force choke _me_? How unoriginal,"Anakin scoffed as he felt the pressure that would have instantly choked Chewbacca and broken his neck but Anakin coolly used his own Force powers to keep the deadly Force ring no less than 1 milimeter from his neck's skin.

"Dare you question my strategy?" General Rexler scoffed.

"Who writes yer dialogue?" Han scoffed.

"And you are. ..?" General Rexler asked while turning towards the vent shaft.

"Solo, stay unseen," Anakin ordered via the Force.

"You think someone unarmed in the Force can undo this chain of events?" General Rexler sneered.

Han poked his upper torso out of the vent shaft and pointed his blaster.

"Yep!" Han shrugged while blasting General Rexler's chest.

"Fool," the dying General Rexler, Anakin and Luke all said together as General Rexler used the last of his Force energy to cause a single lever on the control panel to move- setting off a horrible noise.

"WARNING! WARNING! The Coruscant Failsafe DOOMSDAY Device will EXPLODE Coruscant in 10 minutes! The Coruscant Failsafe DOOMSDAY Device will EXPLODE Coruscant in 10 minutes! Please de-activate device or evacuate all personel!" the alarm droned.

"Lord Vader, you should have known if we Imperials couldn't keep Coruscant, NO ONE would have it- according to the late Emperor. I die doing my duty to him and the Dark Side!" General Rexler gasped.

"Leia, send Artoo here IMMEDIATELY! You, Padmé, Luke, Threepio, Cxvrce, Han and Chewbacca go to the roof to try to reach the Imperial Evacuation Escape Pod!" Anakin shouted aloud/ via the Force.

"NO! We're staying here to help you!"Luke pleaded while Chewie nodded and affirmatively grunted.

"Uh, yeah, " Han groaned.

" Don't risk yourselves- even though it's somewhat _your_ fault that we're minutes from the planet exploding, Solo," Anakin boiled.

"Yeah, like _I_ built that bomb or knew about it when I blasted Rexler," Han scoffed.

"Good Artoo's here! Quick, plug in and decode the Deactivation Sequence from Coruscant Command," Anakin ordered- while Artoo put in a probe into a the larger terminal's communication port.

"YEEEOOWW!" Artoo screamed as the port blasted him.

"You tried, Old Friend! We'll have to deactivate this on our own! Luke see if you can sense the sequence with the Force," Anakin gasped while patting Artoo's smoking lid.

"I can't get anything either," Luke gulped.

"NINE MINUTES to EXPLOSION!" the loudspeakers droned while they heard the sounds of mass panic of billions of Coruscant's citizens spreading.

"Oh, I'd give almost anything if I just had that code inside my head," Anakin groaned.

"HA!HA!HA!HA! I've been WAITING to hear all these months, Lord Vader," a disembodied voice taunted that instantly caused Luke to cringe, Han to shudder and Chewbacca to roar.

"Palpatine!" Anakin spat out and actually spat out saliva - as the Force of the Sith Master became visible with a red haze surrounding his form.

Instantly, Han fired blaster shots at the Emperor's voice.

"Even if you could SEE me, you Force Forsaken Fool, your shots would be USELESS against me for I have no form," Palpatine sneered.

"Han, you're not missing anything not seeing him," Luke groaned-for only he and Anakin being Force wielders could see Palpatine's Force ghost at this time.

"Leave us IMMEDIATELY and FOREVER!" Anakin boiled.

"Oh, but I was hoping to give you the Deactivation Code so you could save the pathetic citizens of this useless planet," Palpatine said in his sickenly saccharine tone.

"What do you want from us?" Luke asked.

"Young Fool, what makes you think. ..?" Palpatine chided.

"You never give without taking SO MUCH more," Anakin sneered.

"I just want you to let my feeble, tired, old spirit take over your young, vigorously healthy, midclorinian-saturated body," Palpatine taunted.

"NEVER!" Anakin boiled.

" I'd let you take ALL the credit ,of course, for saving this planet," Palpatine sneered.

"Father, don't listen to him!" Luke pleaded.

"I wasn't! I'm THROUGH doing that!"Anakin boiled while spitting a rather large wad of spit in Palpatine's ghost's direction.

"Stay calm! Don't let the Dark Side. ..," Luke pleaded.

"You're right, Son!" Anakin said trying to calm himself down.

" Lord Vader, I ask you just let me take over your nice,toned, healthy young body for a short time. It's only fair since you rejected the one I so thoughtfully made for you," Palpatine sneered.

"EIGHT MINUTES TO EXPLOSION!"the loudspeaker droned.

"We'll disarm it with the Force without being ANY more beholden to you!" Anakin shouted.

"The Force has _nothing_ to do with this," Palpatine taunted.

"Got any other ideas?" Han gulped while Chewie growled.

"Think of all those trillions of pathetic citizens you'd be saving- and it would invariably balance out Alderaan and all the other things you did for me," Palpatine laughed.

"You'd take my body over permanently-and then you'd do FAR worse damage than you ever were capable of as Palpatine and destroy the Galaxy and the Skywalkers forever!" Anakin boiled.

"Interesting hypothesis. Now, I'm through asking and DEMANDING you turn over your body to me that your Fool Son so thoughtfully restored to the way I always wanted it for myself," Palpatine growled.

"And, if I refuse?" Anakin said- trying to stay as calm as per Luke's pleading.

"Then I'll haunt you and the rest of your pitiful family the rest of your days until you give me dominion- and I'll be joined by. .." Palpatine sneered with a curdle in his voice.

"CROIKA! In the name of the Light Side, I beseech the Most Powerful Jedi Spirits to BIND YOU, Palpatine, from the mortal world FOREVER!" Anakin half- prayed, half-shouted.

"CROIKA! In the name of the Dark Side, I beseech that the Most Powerful Sith Spirits compel you,Lord Vader, to give me your RESTORED BODY!"Palpatine shouted at the very same time.

"SEVEN MIN. .."

Instantly, seven figures appeared.

On Anakin's side (in blue haze surrounding their forms) appeared Obi-Wan, Mace Windu and Yoda. On Palpatine's side Count Dooku, Darth Maul and Darth Plageous. (in red haze surrounding their forms). In the middle of the opposing figures appeared the image of Qui-Gonn with a white haze surrounding his form.

"What happened?" Anakin and Palpatine gulped- while Anakin noticed Luke,Chewbacca, Artoo and Han frozen as though they were carbo-frozen.

"Four against three. Not fair but what could I expect from Jedi," Palpatine sneered.

"I'll destroy him all over again, Master!" the Sith Ghost Darth Maul growled at seeing the image of Qui-Gonn and started to run towards the image.

"I can easily stomp on Yoda like an insect now! Darth Sideous, it's too bad you weren't born for centuries to witness our last duel that he cheated on," the somehat taller image of Darth Plageous sneered while Yoda growled at him.

"ENOUGH!" the image of Qui-Gonn shouted- but with the sounds of dozens of voices of many genders, accents and species in unison- as it froze Darth Maul's and Darth Plageous's Sith Ghosts in their tracks.

"Master Qui- Gonn?" Anakin gulped and bowed.

"He is the Force Conduit we allow to only observe until we leave who we are using. For, all the mystics, he is the most qualified when we appear to judge these Force Petitioners!" the voices shouted from Qui-Gonn's ghostly mouth.

"You mean, you're . you're . ._The_ Force?" Palpatine gulped.

"That is correct. We judge on behalf of all in the Galaxy- Light and Dark and many shades of Grey!"the ghostly image of Qui-Gonn as the Force Conduit explained in all those dozens of voices.

"And you've stopped time to do that?" Anakin asked.

"Time cannot be stopped but you and the others in this case have had your metabolism temporarily sped up so what takes place in a single minute in the rest of the universe will appear to take an entire hour until what needs to be done here is complete," the ghostly image of Qui-Gonn as the Force Conduit explained.

"Great! You need to compel Lord Vader to give over his body to me so he can save this planet from doom," Palpatine pleaded.

"And you need to destroy Palpatine's spirit altogether so he cannot hurt any more innocents like Padmé and Mama," Anakin pleaded.

"You see, Force Conduit, how ungracious he is? He's no more changed to Light Side but is every bit as much my vassal as ever. He's always been nothing without me," Palpatine sneered.

"Correction, you've always been nothing without ME and my powers that's why you schemed so hard to get me on your side. I have a lifetime of atonement for the atrocities I've done ahead of me but at least I'm free of you and intend to be forever," Anakin insisted.

"I'm hurt. I don't want to destroy your spirit. .." Palpatine said with sickening sweetness.

"Yet! You want to torture me by taking me along for the ride while you do unspeakable things to my family and everyone else in the Galaxy to break them. Even 20 years in that walking prison was better than that fate. As I'd want it,your end would be _instant,_" Anakin growled..

"Master Yoda, Master Windu, Master Obi-Wan, how can you side with this ingrate after what he did to all of you?" Palpatine scoffed.

"We have felt his sincere remorse by words and deeds. That is enough," Mace Windu explained.

"To think that the part of you I'd treasure the most is the part of you that could cause you the most unhappiness," Palpatine mocked.

"Don't try your Sith curses now!" Obi-Wan sneered.

"You know it's no curse. Just a simple fact- or else the Force Conduit would have. .." Palpatine smirked.

"ENOUGH! The Force knows thoroughly what's in the Petitioners' hearts, deeds and minds and we need no further testimonies from either side. Time is of the essence for the fates of the Galaxy, Coruscant and the Petitioners so we need only ask a single question to the Petitioners. The Petitioners are each expected to give one answer and its justification to the Riddle of Our Choosing," the Force Conduit in the form of Qui-Gonn Jinn's appearance explained.

"Riddle?" Anakin and Palpatine asked at the very same time in puzzlement.

"Yes. Many a truth is found in riddles- even more so than in straight questions,"the Force Conduit in Qui-Gonn's appearance explained in those dozens of voices in unison.

" I see," Anakin pondered- how he wished Artoo could participate for Artoo always had fun with riddles.

"The Riddle Of Our Choosing Is This: A Jedi Master and a Sith Master dueled one score and three years past in the Jedi Temple on this very planet. Which of these was the actual victor and why? We've frozen all the others from communicating with you so you can only seek your own counsels,"the Force Conduit in Qui-Gonn's appearance explained in those dozens of voices- while everyone could see Yoda get frustrated at being reminded of that event.

"Why that's quite evident! It was I, Darth Sidous known as Palpatine who vanquished the last impediment to my absolute rule as Emperor of the Galaxy who won that battle and reaped the bounty of the Galaxy thenceforth while my opponent Yoda was sent into exile to a tiny mud hole. Yes, I found out about Degobah after my passing," Palpatine gloated.

"Are you certain of this?" the Force Conduit in Qui-Gonn's appearance asked with those dozens of voices.

"Absolutely," Palpatine sneered.

"What say you, Anakin Skywalker?" the Force Conduit in Qui-Gonn's appearance asked.

"Can it be the same answer?" Anakin asked with a gulp while Palpatine smirked.

"Possibly but surely you can render your own justification," the Force Conduit in Qui-Gonn's form replied in its dozens of voices.

A/N- BWA- HA! HA! CLIFFHANGER TIME HERE! Ducked just in time to have those objects miss the screen on my end. Got any ideas as to what you think Anakin will answer, what will result from his and Palpatine's answers and will he and/or the others be able to stop the Coruscant Doomsday Exploder? I should be back with the answers around Thursday! Faithful readers, you've been great, and I won't leave you hanging too long.


	7. Candle's Flicker

'Moments from Eternity' (Chapter Seven)

By Ennon

A/N- Raijan- Would it be that you COULD use the Force to make me update faster but you'd also have to do something about my life's obligations. Let's say now that you've got a good idea about Sidius but wait to see exactly what was won. I hope you like this chapter and I'm taking you last suggestion to heart.

Doreenthatshot- Glad you consider it really cool! I hope I'm not leaving you hanging on too long and the update was soon enough!

Anakin was about to give his answer when he suddenly noticed his son Luke barely mobile in Anakin's current state while Anakin,etc. must have looked like buzzing insects to Luke. Anyway, he noticed that Luke and Yoda were giving each other a look of confidence. It only took a moment for Anakin to notice this (and barely a blip to Han and Chewie) but the impact hit Anakin like rare Tatooine rains did for its desert frogs.

"The Actual Victor of the Conflict between Palpatine and Yoda, I believe was . ..YODA!"Anakin exclaimed in triumph.

"What! And I thought your _son_ was a fool ," snorted Palpatine's Ghost.

"He's more brilliant than either of us- and you **know** it!" Anakin beamed.

"Is that the answer you choose?" the Force Conduit in the guise of the Ghost of Qui-Gonn asked in its dozens of voices.

"Yes it is so because Yoda was a true friend and, as a result, he had Luke's friendship in the end! " Anakin exclaimed in great happiness.

"Bah! Yoda was left with nothing while I. ." Palpatine's Ghost scoffed.

"Nothing? No, Yoda had _everything_ needed! He had someone who cared about him to be with him at the start of his journey from the world of the living- and I daresay, none of us could ask for a better end!" Anakin beamed while looking at Yoda and Luke.

"But I had the entire Galactic Empire at my command and. .." Palpatine's Ghost boiled.

"SILENCE! Anakin is correct. You had NO EMPIRE! You had a collection of puppets and plotters. Oh, and despite the fact that we gave you the capacity to have been an actual friend, you only feigned friendship to manipulate others for your insignificant, pitiful purposes," the Force Conduit in the guise of the Ghost of Qui-Gonn boiled in dozens of voices.

"Insignificant, pitiful?"Palpatine's Ghost protested.

" The last individual who considered himself to be your friend felt compelled to end your mortal existence at the cost of his own life to save the last person he had the right to consider a friend," the Force Conduit in the in guise of the Ghost of Qui-Gonn boiled.

"But I had the powers. ." Palpatine's Ghost sputtered.

" Yes, we gave you the powers but you wasted those talents on your tiresome goals and your arrogance grew to such that you actually believed you could become US!" the Force Conduit seethed in the guise of the Ghost of Qui-Gonn.

"But there's so much I could offer and. ." Palpatine's Ghost pleaded.

"We were willing to see if that was so," the Force Conduit in Qui-Gonn's guise sighed.

"If you just give me another chance. .." Palpatine's Ghost begged- in a completely insincerely humble tone.

"We GAVE you that chance in the months after your mortal death but instead of reflecting on past misdeeds to try to make them right, you spent the entire time plotting with these three against one who HAS used the chance we gave him for the betterment of himself and so many others," the Force Conduit in Qui-Gonn's guise boiled.

"You're condemning me over a riddle?" Palpatine's Ghost asked.

" Even those on the Dark Side understand the importance of true friendship without which we the Force could not exist nor even keep electrons orbiting a single proton ! However; since you refused to, despite the many privileges and opportunities we gave you, we have no use for you," the Force Conduit in Qui-Gonn's guise.

"You're going to abide by Lord Vader's wish?" Palpatine's Ghost gasped.

"No, it's what WE rule. The _Jedi Anakin Skywalker _was only voicing what we have been considering for some time," the Force Conduit in Qui-Gonn's guise ruled while Palpatine winced at hearing Anakin's name and title.

"Lord Vader, I command you to. ." Palpatine's Ghost boiled.

"That name no longer has any meaning for us nor do _you_," the Force Conduit in Qui-Gonn's guise boiled as Force Lightning zoomed from Qui-Gonn's Ghostly hands and electrocuted Palpatine's Ghost in agony for a few seconds before his ghost shrank into a palm-sized black cloud then imploded into infinite nothingness.

"Oh! How dare you let this happen, Lord Vader! We'll avenge ourselves on you, your friends and family!" Darth Maul's Ghost boiled.

"Vengence is ours alone sayeth the Force and it ends HERE! We give you three Sith Ghosts the chance to prove your usefulness to us so that we may one day include your essences amongst us. Therefore, you will make no attempt to harm or even contact any Jedi Ghosts, Anakin Skywalker or any of Anakin Skywalker's family, friends or associates- OR YOU WILL BE INSTANTLY DESTROYED BY IMPLOSIONAS PALPATINE WAS BEFORE YOU!" the Force Conduit in Qui-Gonn's guise ruled.

"Jedi, you think you've defeated us but the agonies from this planet's explosion will make our Dark Chill stronger than ever from the agony," Darth Plageous's Ghost yelled.

"Oh, shut up, you old windbag! You're just making things worse for us!" Count Dooku's Ghost fumed then Darth Maul raised his fist to him and started to say something but then the three angry Sith abruptly faded away from the Coruscant Command Center.

"Consumed by the boy Master Obi-Wan trained, Darth Vader has been," Yoda's Ghost beamed.

"Thank you, Master Yoda," Anakin and Obi-Wan's Ghost exclaimed.

" Remember all the strengths we've honed for you and use them for the good," Mace Windu's Ghost exclaimed.

"I will, Master. I can't help but think the Force Conduit ended Palpatine's Ghost the way he was ended for BOTH our sakes. I'm so sorry I . ." Anakin sighed.

"We know, Ani," Obi-Wan's Ghost exclaimed.

"Thank you and Master Yoda for being true friends to Luke and. ." Anakin beamed as he touched the Force Ghostly hands of the three ghostly Jedi.

"Go, we must but there's someone else who needs to speak to you," Yoda's Ghost exclaimed as he, Obi-Wan and Mace Windu peacefully faded away.

Instantly, the white haze surrounding the image of Qui-Gonn was replaced by a blue one and . . .

"Hello, Little One," Master Qui-Gonn's Ghost beamed in pride using Qui-Gonn's own voice.

"Master Qui-Gonn! I'm so sorry I went against so much you taught me and. ." Anakin exclaimed.

"But you have the capacity to put to good use those bad times. My faith in you was tested and derided by virtually all but know that it was _never_ broken. I wish words could express how proud I've become of you, Ani!" Master Qui-Gonn's ghost exclaimed in his own voice as he stroked his beard.

"Oh, how I love you as if you were my father,Master Qui-Gonn!" Anakin exclaimed- as he knelt and held Master Qui-Gonn's ghostly hand as best he could.

"As I consider you to be my son! How thankful I am to the Force that the privileged me to be their Conduit and that they let me witness during this time!" Master Qui-Gonn's ghost exclaimed while giving an ironic look to Anakin.

"But it's _Luke_ we owe so much to. How I wish I could. .." Anakin sniffed.

"The Force knows this and the Force believes that you have the capacity to save this planet more than anyone else they've created in the entire Galaxy. No matter what else happens, know that I'll always watch over you, Ani!" Master Qui-Gonn beamed as he faded.

Suddenly, Anakin felt himself thrown forward and had to catch his breath.

"You okay, Father? You haven't done that since Endor . .." Luke gulped.

Anakin embraced Luke, Chewbacca and then Han in brief but intense bearhugs.

Luke nodded and gave Anakin a look that confirmed he'd taken in what happened with the Jedi and Sith Ghosts- and the Force Conduit.

"What was that about?The Old Creep gone?"Han asked.

"Yes, Han, the Emperor's forever disintegrated and Father was triumphant!" Luke beamed.

"I'll explain when there's time! We have less than seven minutes and have to use the Force to disarm this planetary bomb," Anakin exclaimed- as he took off his boots.

"Hey, I know them bounty-hunter gunboats ain't yer usual open-toed numbers but it's not the time to go Nature Boy," Han scoffed.

" I need to sense how to reach the bomb and I need all four limb appendages in reception," Anakin explained as he flexed his fingers and toes.

"Reminds me of me with my sunglasses," Han shrugged.

"Han, this isn't the time. . "Luke groaned.

"What do you mean?" Anakin asked.

"Just that no matter how ya plan it, you never find anything til the last place you look, " Han scoffed.

"That's IT! Palpatine let out that it had nothing to do with the Force and the Force embraces everything in this galaxy. Luke, you and Leia help me to sense anything in this complex that you DON'T feel the Force in that could be from another galaxy," Anakin pleaded aloud to Luke (and via the Force to Leia and Cxvrce).

"Subbasement, I think," Luke pondered while Anakin nodded.

"Level BBBB58 Section 4568P-U. Thanks, Cxvrce!" Anakin proclaimed aloud and via the Force.

"SIX MINUTES TO CORUSCANT FAILSAFE DOOMSDAY PLANETARY EXPLOSION!" the loudspeaker droned..

"How will we get down there, Father?" Luke gulped.

"Luke, Leia, Cxvrce, join me in making a two meter diameter hole in the floors of every level beneath this one all the way to the subbasement while sending a Force warning to all to stand clear of it," Anakin ordered aloud and via the Force while squinting and waving a circle on the floor with his right hand.

"I don't hear. ." Han groaned while Chewbacca sadly growled.

Suddenly, every floor of over 1500 levels of the Imperial Palace had a two-meter diameter hole erupt and the debris was swept to the side of each hole (as per Leia's Force wielding) instead of collecting in the subbasement.

"Whoa! You'll never climb down there in time. .." Han gulped.

"Who says we _climb_? Luke, you take Solo! I'll take Chewbacca," Anakin insisted as each Skywalker bodily picked up Han and Chewbacca and put them on their backs then.

"What the. .?" Han asked.

"Come on, Han," Luke exclaimed.

"AAAH!" Han screamed while Luke jumped with him on his back down thousands of meters.

A meter before his feet were ready to impact on the Subbasement bedrock floor, Anakin used the Force to stop both his and Chewbacca's fall and a second later Luke did the same with Han on his back.

"I hope you don't have to go the refresher, Solo. Chewbacca was far calmer than that, "Anakin shrugged as he and Luke's feet gently drifted down the last meter to the subbasement floor.

"What are we looking for?" Han asked while Luke put him down.

" Something from another galaxy. It's hard to spot without the Force telling us what they DO possess and us subtracting it," Luke groaned.

"Here it is! The Doomsday Cable going straight into the basalt bedrock," Anakin insisted as he put down Chewbacca before they ran towards it.

"FIVE MINUTES TO CORUSCANT DOOMSDAY FAILSAFE PLANETARY EXPLOSION!" the loudspeaker droned.

Luke and Anakin struck it with their green and red lightsabres.

"The lightsabres should have snapped it off just as easily as. .." Anakin groaned and then looked at Luke's right hand.

"It's okay, Father. Since it's from outside the Force's Realm, maybe it's not subject to the Force energy of lightsabres," Luke pondered.

"We can knock it out. Chewie, this way!" Han insisted as he and Chewbacca started to try to tug it.

"ONE MINUTE TO CORUSCANT DOOMSDAY FAILSAFE PLANETARY EXPLOSION!" the loudspeaker droned after their repeated failures.

"It ain't budging! You could tow the Death Star on it," Han grunted while he and Chewbacca nearly wore themselves having attempted to pull it.

"Father, when you were in the Comman Center in that state with Ben, Master Yoda, Palpatine and those others I'd never met. I heard that one called Mace Windu say that they'd honed your strength- and we've done even MORE since you regained your limbs," Luke beamed.

"We have nothing to lose if I try," Anakin groaned as he started to pull.

"No try. Do. Or do not. There is no try!" Luke exclaimed while he and Anakin gave a strong look to each other.

"Yoda's in your head, Son," Anakin half-laughed.

"Maybe you should focus on one thing more than anything else and pretend yer getting that," Han pondered.

"THIRTY SECONDS TO CORUSCANT DOOMSDAY FAILSAFE PLANTARY EXPLOSION!" the loudspeaker droned.

Anakin took several deep breaths and started tugging again.

"ARRH!" Anakin screamed while bracing his feet into the basalt.

"Father, you moved it a few millimeters! Again!" Luke pleaded.

"TWENTY SECONDS TO CORUSCANT DOOMDSAY FAILSAFE PLANETARY EXPLOSION"" the loudspeaker droned.

" One thing, eh?" Anakin panted.

"FIFTEEN SECONDS"

"FOURTEEN"

"THIRTEEN"

" TWELVE"

"ELEVEN"

"TEN"

"**I LOVE PADM****É!"** Anakin screamed loud enough to be heard over the loudspeaker.

Luke and Han heard what sounded like popping rivet sounds then looked down and saw that the hundreds of twisting metal coils were snapping as though made of spun sugar instead of extra-galactic titanium.

THREE

TWO

The last two cable filaments popped out while Anakin threw off the severed wire that descended from 1500 stories from the Control Command Center clear to the other side of the room.

"Father!" Luke gulped as he noticed that Anakin had collapsed in the spot he was standing in.

"Let him sleep, Junior. He's entitled," Han said in awe.

Suddenly Luke himself passed out.

Anakin struggled to return to consciousness but such a burst of strength made it virtually impossible in the aftermath.

"Mama, Leia ,Cxvrce, Mr. Banai! You even brought Threepio and Artoo down here," Luke beamed as he suddenly awoke.

"We wanted to be with you before the crowd loves you three to death, " Padmé laughed as she and the others hugged Luke, Han and Chewbacca while they could hear the mass cheering of billions in the street who were trying to storm the Imperial Palace to find Anakin.

"Those ever-present, hovering Coruscant security cameras got ALL of Father's stunt!" Leia laughed

"Artoo was fried up there. What happened?" Luke asked- noticing something odd.

"Oh, Palpatine made sure the Coruscant Imperial Palace Command Center was programmed to disarm ALL other computer and droids- especially Nabootanean ones. It seems he remembered how you survived to keep serving me, Artoo," Padmé beamed while hugging Artoo's lid.

"So how did Spark Plug survive?" Han asked.

"Simple. The Coruscant Imperial Palace Command Center Computer was Nabootanean in programming and recognized Artoo- and didn't want to destroy him. So to obey his late master AND to remain loyal to me and Artoo, he merely disabled Artoo for thirty minutes- long enough to carry out his hated duty of blowing up the planet unimpeded but giving his compatriot computer droid a chance to survive," Padmé laughed.

"Of course. Why didn't I think of that?" Han half-laughed.

"And, once the other computer got cut off from the Doomsday Bomb, it disabled itself from being able to detonate the devise- having given Artoo exact readings so Artoo can have other droids permanently disable that devise," Leia explained.

"Angel?" Anakin suddenly croaked.

"Oh, My Ani! You're okay! " Padmé beamed as she and Luke started to help Anakin stand upright.

"Sorry, I just passed out from the intense. . . I didn't mean to," Anakin gulped while he and Padmé hugged and kissed.

"It's quite alright. But you seem slightly shorter than before," Padmé gulped.

"You're right, Lady Padmé," Kitster sighed.

" If you couldda felt how strong and heavy all that cable was, you'd wonder why he wasn't Spark Plug's size. Probably ruptured some vertebra bones," Han groaned.

"No, I'm fine it's just. . .," Anakin looked down at his feet.

"Father, your feet must have pressed into the basalt bedrock at least a centimeter when you pulled those cables apart," Luke gulped.

"Yeah, they DID!" Anakin gulped as he pulled out his bare feet from the basalt bedrock and all could see two perfect footprints with every ridge, whorl, and groove of their skin having made perfect impressions into the rock itself.

"Father, look at some of these scratches! It looks like ancient pictures and writing," Luke gulped as they looked around on the floor nearby.

"These aren't just any pictures. Use the Force!" Anakin beamed as they swept their hands over the surface.

"The Force says this marks the very first Jedi Altar ever on Coruscant built some 40,000 years ago,"Leia exclaimed after finishing the reading.

"Built out in an open meadow without even a roof back then but since buried under layers of temples, government buildings, castles, fortifications and city industrialization. Yoda once told me he looked for this for centuries!"Anakin recalled.

"I wonder if Palpatine ever knew what was buried beneath his feet when he had the Doomsday Cable drilled through?" Luke asked.

" Hewasn't the only one who can't see the Sarlaac for the sand. I wonder how long before you notice yer new fleshy right hand?" Han Solo laughed and jabbed it with his right index finger.

"What!" Luke, Leia, Padmé and Anakin exclaimed.

"Yep! When you and Junior passed out,his metal claw popped right out and this one zapped outta thin air onto his right forearm's stump," Han explained while picking up Luke's discarded right metallic prosthetic hand.

"It IS my actual original hand right down to the freckles and scars,"Luke gulped as he felt his legit right hand and only saw a thin white line between it and his forearm.

"Just like I'd silently hoped to Master Qui-Gonn I could have restored to you! Thank the Light Side!" Anakin exclaimed as he and Padmé touched their son's right natural flesh hand (for the very first time each) in awe.

Padmé and Leia couldn't stop kissing it while Luke flexed each finger.

"I wish someone would fill me in on how it got back after it dropped outta sight into Bespin's clouds," Han groaned.

"We could try a scientific explanation of how the Bespin icy clouds preserved it for a year and all but that alone wouldn't . .. " Luke laughed before he felt something with his right boot.

"What is it?" Padmé asked.

"It's Father's Jedi Lightsaber!" Luke exclaimed as he picked it up and unsheathed the blue beam for all to see.

"No, Son! It's yours. You more than earned the right to keep it," Anakin insisted.

"Father, after Ben gave it to me, I used to have dreams that I'd find you and present it to you. I've got mine but I'd be honored if you let me give it back to you, Jedi Anakin!" Luke insisted- as he handed it back to Anakin- with his newly intact right hand.

"What about your red Sith one?" Han asked.

" I think Palpatine left a good spot for it," Anakin shrugged as he unsheathed it- then plunged it straight into the jagged, broken wire filaments popping up in the basalt bedrock subbasement floor from the disarmed Coruscant Doomsday Failsafe Planetary Exploder.

"Listen to all those people screaming out there, Ani. They're practically commanding you to be their Emperor after you saved their lives!" Padmé gulped.

"Nope, last time Icraved the Galaxy for you, I was left with less than nothing. Now, I've got everything I need here! Far more valuable than a galaxy," Anakin shrugged as he gently lifted the japor snippet pendant from Padmé's neck and hugged her before they and the rest of them walked out to meet the crowds.

FOUR YEARS LATER on Yavin Four.. .

"Welcome, New Galactic Republic Holovid Viewers to the Dual Wedding of Princess Leia Organa , Reigning Princess of New Alderaan to the New Republic General Han Solo of Corellia and her mother, Padmé Naberrie Amidala, former Queen and Senator of Naboo to Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker of Tatooine- Princess Leia's father. The brides are being presented by my counterpart R2D2 as they make their ascent down the main aisle of the Celebration Temple where eight years past General Solo, Chewbacca and my Master Luke Skywalker were presented with medals by her Royal Highness Princess Leia after winning the Battle of Yavin to defeat the First Death Star of the Empire. Waiting at the Temple Altar are the grooms, Han Solo and my Master Anakin Skywalker with their Best Men- Chewbacca of Kashyyk and New Republic Senator Kitster Banai of Tatooine. Performing the ceremony of matrimony for Princess Leia and General Solo as well as renewing the vows of Queen Padmé and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker is my Master, the New Jedi Founder Luke Skywalker- the son ofJedi KnightAnakin Skywalker and Queen Padmé Amidala Naberrie Skywalker," Threepio breathlessly intoned to the galactic holovid audience while trumpets were blaring.

"Kitster , Amee , have you met my mother Mrs. Jobal Naberrie and my grandmother Mrs. Padmé Voslucian?" Padmé beamed to her guests while she and Anakin hugged and kissed.

"How do you do, ladies? Your daughter and son-in-law have done so much for us!" Kitster exclaimed.

"Kitster, you got elected Senator fair and square," Anakin protested.

"And Amee queens it over the other Senators' wives as though she was born to the part!" Kitster laughed.

"Oh, please! Well, having Lady Padmé's old Senatorial Apartment on Coruscant does help with giving banquets- and have you seen pictures of our new grandchildren? Amee asked.

"Bruard and Chiara are studying architecture at the Academy so we're helping raise their little ones- and we've reunited with our four younger children,too!" Kitster beamed.

"That's quite wonderful! I know what it's like to think a child lost but then to find her again," Jorbal exclaimed while she and Padmé clutched hands.

"We're very sorry, Mama Naberrie but Padmé couldn't chance Palpatine or Lord Vader harming you to find our twins," Anakin groaned.

"Well, all that aside, I think you've found an excellent trophy husband, Granddaughter," 95-year-old Padmé Voluscian exclaimed to the 54-year-old bride Padmé standing with her own 27-year-old daughter Leia who stood next to 37-year-old Han.

"Hey, what am I?" Han asked- a bit miffed.

"You did great in helping us reunite with our family in Naboo so you'll make a wonderful grandson-in-law!" 75-year-old Jobal Naberrie laughed.

"No, Mama Naberrie and Grandmama, it is I who have the Treasure Beyond Compare in Padmé. I wouldn't be alive without her or our children!" Anakin exclaimed while tenderly kissing Padmé on the lips.

"Oh, let me tell you before we officially announce it! The New Republic Senate has declared that the Galactic Calendar is to mark the Battle of Yavin in which the First Death Star was destroyed as the very first day- and its anniversary will be the New Year forever afterwards!" Kitster exclaimed to Anakin.

"Luke, did you hear that? It HAS become a Day Long Remembered but not for the reasons I'd once hoped for," Anakin wryly exclaimed.

"Really?" Luke gulped.

"How I wish I could have flown with Luke when he. .!" Kitster exclaimed.

"Yes, with him- not against him. That's the way it should have been but always _will_ be from now on!"Anakin proclaimed.

"Han, have you ever seen four generations of women that beautiful? There's your future! You're one lucky pirate!" Lando Calrissian laughed while banging Han on the back while looking at Leia, Padmé and Padmé's grey and, respectively, white haired mother and grandmother.

"I guess," Han half-laughed.

"What's up, Buddy? You just married a gorgeous babe who happens to be a princess and a Force wielder. What more could you ask for?" Lando asked.

"What makes ya think there's anything. ..?" Han shrugged.

"Han, this is Lando! You can't out steer another pirate!" Lando insisted.

" Leia's been great and so has Amber Lady and it's been quite a ride with Junior and Pops but I can't help wonder if I'm getting demoted to sidekick," Han sighed.

"So Leia's father's called the Chosen One. But you're _Leia's_ Chosen One!" Lando laughed.

"Not funny," Han groaned.

" Okay, your new Pops-in-law got a new body, a suspended sentence for his atrocities and his family's forgiveness and love," Lando shrugged.

"Not you,too!" Han groaned.

"What are you talking about?" Lando asked.

"Vader ripped you out of your entire mining complex," Han sighed.

"Anakin Skywalker made a full confession, has helped Luke free 77 percentof the Galaxy as of last week and he insisted the New Republic auction off all Vader's holdings to repay back all of us he'd gypped and to compensate those who were disabled by Vader's actions and/or lost family. He even arranged for that Imperial training planet to be used as New Alderaan for all the survivors," Lando beamed.

" And if I havta hear from you how he singlehandedly pulled apart the Coruscant Plantary Doomsday Exploder Cable again. . .," Han groaned.

" Come on,Han. He, Luke and I are in the Planetary Exploder Preventer Fraternity- only Luke and I pushed buttons and aimed but he physically pulled the thing apart! Why hold onto grudges? Life's too short and time stops for no one," Lando laughed.

"Oh, yeah? Tell that to _Pops_!" Han groaned.

"Luke explained that the Kaminoans gave him a younger body and. ." Lando shrugged.

"That's what I first thought,too, but he hasn't aged a DAY in four years. Already, my bride and brother-in-law look a little older than than their own father," Han said in bemusement.

"He's very athletic and ripped soaging's probably not as obvious with him as. .." Lando tried to explain.

"Lando, after all his confessions and protests to want to make right balanced against all the testimonies about him AFTER Endor, he was sentenced to TWO YEARS in the KESSEL MINES," Han groaned.

"Did you say, two years? You know, I've never seen anyone emerge from those who hadn't aged ten years after ONE year," Lando gulped.

"Yeah, but if he starts asking folks if they can tell which of us is the father-in-law and which is the son-in-law, Force or no Force, I'll bust his chops," Han snapped.


	8. Force At Bay

' Last Eyewitness' (Chapter Eight)

By Ennon

A/N- Here come the reviews(and I hope that those writing about previous chapters catch up to this to read these):

Sitaan(re #1)- Yep, Han sure WAS but would this story have been as entertaining had there not been a doubting Thomas here- and don't worry Anakin wouldn't be the only one who'd change for the better here but I've tried to keep both of them as in character as possible throughout.

Skywalking- (re#6)- Glad you really liked this and I guess you don't consider Anakin being a drama queen a bad thing. Well, glad you thought he was right re Palpatine and thought General Rexler's attempt to force choke HIM was funny. Happy you thought this chapter great.

Doreenthatshot-(#7)- Happy that you consider this interesting but, no that wasn't the actual end- but, you might say, it was the end of the beginning (Hint: there are clues in the text as well as this story's title).

Raijan (#7)- I'm gratefulyou consider this marvelous. Interesting suggestions but I'm not ending this just yet(and don't worry, I'm not going to get into crap at least what I consider crap. I'm very happy you believe that, so far, it's the best Star Wars story you've read. I hope you like the next part coming up.

CHAPTER BEGINS:

Anakin marced right past the mirrors of the refresher after he changed into his training trunks. It used to be that he'd avoid mirrors' glares so he wouldn't be repulsed by what he'd become inside Vader's Suit. However; for a time after his face and body were restored and then honed to physical perfection through intensive training, he couldn't stop looking in mirrors and admire. But, for some time now, he didn't bother to look anymore for he knew all too well how unchanged it had become.

For some two hours, he was doing backflips underwater in the Training Temple's basement pool of Yavin Four's New Jedi Temple Complex. Nothing had changed in so long and he had been too restless to sleep. Water had always been considered a precious commodity to him as a child in the desert world of Tatooine so when Padmé first returned his love, he learned to swim like a fish in Naboo's waters so he could feel surrounded by its luxury and her essence. Then he was shut out of that for so long by Vader's hated suit. However; since Anakin had his body restored, he couldn't get enough of it! Now, it was a means to find solace and to silently commune with. . .

Anakin was upside down on his 2nd completely underwater backflip when he sensed something- and looked through the 3 meters of water overhead to see an image. Someone was wearing Vader's hated black Mask and running around the pool platform brandishing Anakin's blue Jedi lightsabre that he'd left in his utility belt with his other clothes. Anakin swam up so abruptly, he felt something drop from his neck. He couldn't lose it, so at the last possible second, he felt for and grabbed it with his left toes and was able to stretch his left leg over to replace it over his neck right before he sprang straight out of the water and landed on the platform next to this somewhat shorter and much younger opponent.

"The Force is with you, young Skywalker, but you are not a Jedi yet!" the opponent (wearing a tunic top ,pajama bottoms and slippers) exclaimed as he ran towards Anakin- dropping his voice an octave and making those breathing sounds with his mouth.

Anakin immediately used the Force to yank his blue lightsabre from his opponent's right hand into his own.

"Kit! You think what Our Founder and I have been teaching you is a _joke_?" Anakin shouted.

"Pops, take it easy!" 10-year-old a New Jedi Progeny named Kit Banai laughed.

"The Dark Side and the Sith are nothing to play with. We keep that Mask in the case along with Our Founder's Metal Hand as reminders of what can be lost if we give into the Dark Side!" Anakin fumed- as he pulled off Vader's Mask that Kit's much smaller head was swimming inside.

"I don't know why you think it's so bad. It's kind of fun to talk like that and startle people from inside the mask," Kit laughed.

"Suppose your Nana or any of your other ancestors heard you talk like that?" Anakin gasped.

"But things sure turned out well from you and it didn't do you any harm," Kit scoffed.

"No harm? If it weren't for the Light Side, it's too horrible. ." Anakin gasped.

"Yeah, yeah," Kit snorted.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this but you leave me no choice. You think the Dark Side's fun? Let me show you how FUN it can be!" Anakin fumed as he put Vader's Mask back on Kit while placing his own hands over the temple area of it.

"I can't breathe! My limbs constantly hurt but I only feel stumps! I only feel sadness and only anger can stop it! I have to keep doing bad things to bury other bad things! There's no hope or anything good for me! Take it off! I can't stand it!" Kit started to sob while Anakin showed him images and feelings that he'd had as Vader.

"I knew you'd be smarter in a minute than I was in 20 years," Anakin groaned as he knelt down hugged Kit to him.

" But does the Dark Side always lead to. ..?" Kit sniffed.

"No, not always, but is it worth risking that?" Anakin asked as he lifted the boy's chin upwards.

"I guess not," Kit sighed.

"Why did you feel tempted anyway? Someone do you wrong?" Anakin asked.

"I worked all week on the Lightsabre Dual Drill with Norcot- and he was plain lazy and let me do all the work then took all the credit and Master Crobor believed him because he's better at Jedi Mind Tricks,"Kit groaned.

"So you thought playing with the Dark Side and using its hated relics as toys would work to your advantage," Anakin sighed.

"Well, yeah but it's not fair that I should do all that work and get none of the credit," Kit said angrily.

" As Master Qui-Gonn said that what's more important is that you know you what the truth is than it is to outflank your opponent. Lies will catch up and do their own damage soon enough," Anakin recalled.

"Are you sure?" Kit snapped."

"The Light Side with truth and calmness will give you contentment instead of resentment. It's long past midnight and you should be asleep," Anakin insisted.

"So should YOU!" Kit snapped.

"You're right but you're a growing boy while I. ." Anakin half-laughed.

"Kit, what are you doing with that. .. _beetle__ head_?" 60-year-old Padmara Skywalker Banai gasped with white-streaked brown hair and in a nightgown and robe asked.

"I was playing but. ..Pops… Jedi Anakin taught me a lesson anyway, Nana," Kit sighed.

"And you used the Force to break into the display case so it wouldn't alarm. Very impressive skills but for a bad purpose. You go to bed this instant and I'll decide your punishment tomorrow," Padmara sighed.

"I'm not saying he shouldn't be punished but I Shared with him Dark Side Consequences so don't be too harsh," Anakin sighed.

"Pops, he's just a boy. Why. .?" Padmara gasped as she clasped her grandson to her side.

"Some of the best lessons can be learned then," Anakin insisted.

" I suppose you're right. Are you sure there's no change with. .him?" Padmara half-whispered at which Anakin sadly shook his head.

"No," Anakin said in a low voice.

"Kit, I just found out that your big sister Amee and her new husband Vlercot Morgrec just had their baby and they're naming him Luke!" Padmara beamed while hugging both Anakin and Kit.

"So, it's time for all good uncles to get to bed!" Anakin exclaimed after swallowing while mussing up the boy's hair.

"Do you think the news will help?" Padmara asked.

"I'm not sure but I think I'd better tell him in person instead of just us via the Force," Anakin sighed.

"Do you need me to tell everyone else in case. ..?" Padmara started to ask.

"NO! He'll get better! He MUST!" Anakin declared as he stomped the floor hard enough to crack the tile and then marched straight to the sleeping chamber where he knew Luke was- still in his training trunks.

"Son, Padmara's now a great-grandmother and the baby's being named for you!" Anakin whispered as he gently touched Luke's forehead.

A/N- Some EU fanfic events and characters will be mentioned in this part but with my own touches (and, with some names changedfor the better IMO).

"Ben would have been a great-great-grandfather now!" Luke beamed.

"And Kitster Banai would have been a four-times great-grandfather!" Anakin exclaimed.

"Father, if only Mara ,Our Ben, Ben's wife Sabé, and Padmara's husband Wald could have seen. .,"Luke gasped.

" I know," Anakin groaned.

"Is it the 18th?" Luke croaked in a hoarse whisper.

"Luke, what does. .?" Anakin asked in a panic.

"It matters to me! By the Light Side. .swear," Luke pleaded barely able to get the words out.

"Yes, by the Light Side, it's the 18th," Anakin groaned.

"Today, it's been an entire _century_ since I pulled Vader's Mask off from your head!" Luke croaked with some satisfaction while struggling to raise his ancient, gnarled arms and hands out fromatop the sheets

"Please,Son. Don't strain yourself! Don't go now. ." Anakin cried while hugging onto his son.

"That face you make. Look so old to young eyes do I?"Luke gasped.

"You're my son! You can't. ." Anakin gasped.

" Yes, I do! Haven't made it to 900 years but I think I look better than _you_ did 100 years ago," Luke croaked and laughed while painfully coughing.

Luke's blue eyes had cataracts too embedded for even laser surgery to correct and had to see (and hear) via the Force, only had a few stray white hairs on his wrinkled and freckled scalp but a smattering of whiskers on his chin.His teeth were blackened, crooked and had become much smaller. His face was relatively uncreased but had a large number of tiny wrinkles that made his neck virtually invisible so his head almost appeared to pop directly from his sunken, bony and wrinkled chest under his tunic.

"Please, Son. You must get better!" Anakin pleaded- as he quickly lifted the oxygen mask to Luke's face to relieve the coughing.

"Father, I'm one-hundred, twenty-three years old. A good, admirable age to reach, don't you think?" Luke asked- as he breathed more easily.

"Of course!" Anakin exclaimed.

"But, soon, you'll be free of having to worry about tending to these ancient bones," Luke sighed-as he knew that any stranger seeing them would have thoughtAnakin was 22-year-old great-great-grandson instead of his 145-year-old father tending to him.

"Your mother said that about herself fifty years ago but she was my Heart!" Anakin sobbed with fresh tears.

"Mama didn't want you to be alone. She wanted you to remarry and I wouldn't mind half-siblings," Luke gasped.

"When I first saw her at nine, I knew she was the most beautiful creature in the Galaxy inside and out- and her white hair when she left this realm only enhanced that belief when I was ninety-five!"Anakin sighed.

"I know, Father," Luke gasped.

"The last thing she did was hand me the japor snippet I'd made for her so I wouldn't forget what was important," Anakin sobbed as he clutched the still wet snippet around his neck he'd saved from the pool bottom.

"You shouldn't feel bad. You gave her fifty wonderful years after all those years adrift!" Luke beamed as he patted Anakin's hand.

"It was she who gave to all of us! My Angel was the peacemaker. Without her, I'm not sure I could have ever reconciled with Han after Young Anakin and Chewbacca's. .." Anakin gasped.

"You _could_ have. You've always had that ability. You just needed to relearn to use it," Luke gasped.

"Why did the first family I outlived after my revival have to be so precious? His older twins Bail and Shmi had their father's sarcasm but and even your Ben was not unlike. . .me,"Anakin conceded.

A/N- Yes, I know that in the EUs Leia and Han's elder two children are Jacen and Jaina but I detest the names as they evoke no family connections, have no evident meanings and they sound more like their parents were Malibu phonies trying to avoid REAL names so as per this AU where Anakin and Padmé survived to see their grandchildren, I believe their parents would more likely name them for important family members.

"He was a handful alright," Luke gasped while laughing.

"But Young Anakin was the toughest Force wielder of any of them- yet had his Nana Padmé's heart more than the rest. I would have sacrificed myself to save him from those creatures just like Chewbacca did!" Anakin proclaimed.

"I know but Chewie had been Han's only family for so long," Luke conceded.

"That didn't excuse Han from accusing Our Kino of letting Chewbacca die and I was right to tell Han that Chewbacca himself would have been appalled at the idea!" Anakin groaned.

"Kino hated it when you and Han argued- even if you were defending him," Luke recalled.

"Oh, how he had his Nana's heart. How could we have **not** loved each other at first sight? It's been 77 years and I still miss him. I don't think he'd have grown resentful of. . like the others,"Anakin groaned.

"Chosen One, Dark Lord, Galaxy Liberator, New Jedi Strong Arm and ,for this last century, Ageless One. That's quite a bit for anyone to live up to- or be related to," Luke gasped/chuckled.

"Right as usual, My Son," Anakin sighed.

"Han eventually realized I was- at least with Kino," Luke chuckled.

"I'm glad Han appreciated My Angel's efforts to bring him back into the fold and keeping _me_ from getting tempted to the Dark Side for Kino's sake! And who'd have thought I'd miss the Old Scoundrel these 60 years," Anakin chuckled.

"Just like who would have thought _you'd_ be the peacemaker when I chose Mara?" Luke gasped.

"Can you blame My Angel for not wanting an assassin who'd tried to harm our only son for a daughter-in-law?" Anakin laughed.

"Perhaps not," Luke conceded.

"But poor thing was misguided first by Palpatine, then, after the Force destroyed his spirit, Darth Maul. I **knew** Darth Maul would try to find a _loophole_ in the Force's Edict having someone ELSE try to do his dirty work without directly contacting any of my family!" Anakin sighed.

"Maul wanted to harm you via her but knew you were too strong in the Force for her to even approach then he came up with the idea of killing ME so you'd be turned back," Luke recalled.

"Instead of your compassion for her being your end, it was hers for you that awakened her from the Dark Side nightmare and proved Maul's end," Anakin beamed while patting Luke's shoulder.

"Just like Palpatine thought my compassion for you would be my end but it was yours for me that was his and re-opened your heart to the Light!" Luke beamed.

"If only more could be re-opened to the Light," Anakin sighed.

"Still hard to believe Mama would, at first, be less willing to give Mara a chance than she did you! She was even more hostile to us marrying than Leia was!" Luke recalled.

"She'd never known Mara before and not wanting to chance a daughter-in-law harming a son's a different matter than reclaiming a husband she'd never stopped loving or hoping would return to the Light," Anakin pondered.

"Funny that it took Mara's pregnancy with Ben to finally convince Mama to love her like she did everyone else,"Luke gasped and laughed.

"My Angel could never bear to see anyone else in pain or agony- and Mara had long proved herself in the Light," Anakin conceded while lifting and hugging Luke's upper torso out of bed to help him breathe.

"You learned from Mama- and from me. Take what you've learned and pass it on," Luke pleaded.

"I don't want that! I want everyone to know you for who you are not just your rep!" Anakin sobbed.

"Father, you used to call Leia your Resilliance!" Luke recalled.

"Even on the First Death Star as angry as I was at her defiance, I admired her loyalty to her cause and unshakable resolve even after so MUCH was taken from her with Alderaan," Anakin sighed.

"It's been 35 years since Leia left the mortal world, yet we've carried on. You can do so without me,too! Besides, we'll all be together in the next realm,"Luke beamed.

"You and me always together?"Anakin asked while Luke very slowly nodded.

"Since I've grown old, I've held you back but now you'll be free!" Luke beamed.

"I don't want THAT kind of freedom! It's too painful to think about," Anakin sniffed.

"Hot tears, I feel from you. Don't be sad, Father. It's the way of the Force," Luke gasped.

"But why you and not for ME? Luke, I'm scared!" Anakin gasped.

"You, the most powerful Force wielder ever in the Galaxy and, likely ,the physically strongest human being, scared? What can you be afraid of?" Luke gasped.

"You've been my Conscious for a century. To everyone else, Vader's become a boogeyman, maybe even a joke but you alone bear witness to how close Vader came to. ." Anakin gasped.

"You'll find your own conscious. A century on the Light Side is a good guide. The Force knows you're still needed here but my work's done," Luke proclaimed.

"I don't want your baby namesake triple-great-grandson to have barely polite interest in you the way his uncle Kit does HIS namesake ancestor," Anakin sighed.

" I used the Force to see you and Kit just now. I'm proud of how you helped him see before he took the Dark Side too casually. It would have been too much for Padmara," Luke sighed.

"The widow of Kitster's youngest great-grandson- and a Nabootanean on her mother's side. Oh, how I wish My Angel could have seen her grow up. She's been a mother to all of us!"Anakin sighed.

"And she actually learned to cook!" Luke weakly laughed.

"The first Skywalker woman to do so since my mother," Anakin laughed.

"Remember how neither Leia or Mara could boil an egg?" Luke wryly laughed.

"And My Angel actually made water scorch when she got near a stove!" Anakin laughed.

"We had to learn ourselves or we'd have starved," Luke recalled.

"I think My Angel wouldhave beenproud to see Padmara grow up- and not just for the cooking!" Anakin sighed.

"What makes you think Mama didn't from the next realm?" Luke weakly laughed.

"Let me feed you some broth, Son! " Anakin pleaded as he brought the spoon up to Luke's ancient,cracked lips.

"No more. It's finished. From being each other's sworn foes to being each other's best friends, I'd say the Force knows what they're doing," Luke gasped.

"Son, I love you!" Anakin sobbed.

"As I do, you, Father. Lift me on my feet one last time," Luke gasped.

"But you haven't stood upright in a dozen. .." Anakin groaned.

"Sing to me that song I used to hear you sing Ben when he was a baby," Luke insisted while Anakin physically carried him out of his bed and placed his ancient,gnarled, rheumatic feet on the floor next to Anakin's youthful,athletic and nearly bulletproof feet while he supported Luke's entire weight and rocked him in his arms.

"I didn't realize you'd… " Anakin gasped.

"Shrunk some more? Father, I never was tall. Took after Mama's side. The song please," Luke sputtered.

_"Born of The Angel/_

_Name Padmé Who_

_Came Down From the Sky/_

_And Brought Light to Our Hearts_

_By the Chaotic Son/_

_Of the Golden Hearted Skywalker_

_With the Name of Shmi_

_A Boy Named Luke_

_Came Forth From Desert Rock_

_And From this Templed Moon_

_With the Guidance of the Spirit _

_Of Obi-Wan and the Force Itself_

_He Destroyed the Terror_

_That Had Shattered Innocent Alderaan_

_And Brought Hope to Many_

_So They Could Be Free_

_He Freed His Worst Foe_

_Of the Prison Of His Walking Cage_

_And Together Brought Light_

_To The Whole Galaxy_

"Father, let me hold your Lightsabre one last time," Luke gasped.

"Okay, Son!" Anakin choled as Luke felt the sheath.

"Unsheath it so I can hear its enticing song one more time," Luke gasped while Anakin unsheathed its blue beam.

"Father, I love you. I . .must join. … Ben, Mara, Mama, Leia and the others now but I won't leave you long. I'm sending others. I know what it's like to have a son go befo. .." Luke gasped then died.

"Son! Luke!My True Master! NO!" Anakin screamed- and woke up the entire New Jedi Temple Complex on Yavin Four.

"DAMN YOU, PALPATINE! You **knew** I was immortal when you tried to take over my body but I'd suffer by having to outlive my entire original family!" Anakin boiled and spat as Luke's mortal remains faded away the way Yoda's had done just barely a century earlier..

"Ani, you know Palpatine's been entirely destroyed for almost a century and it's not how Luke would have wanted you to react," the Spirit of Qui-Gonn pleaded as he became visible.

"Master Qui-Gonn, I'm so afraid of what I might do," Anakin sobbed as he knelt.

"Don't be. You have the Light Side and it will help you through this time," Qui-Gonn's Ghost pleaded.

"I know but how long will I have to be alone in the mortal world?" Anakin sniffed.

"I'm afraid all of us strong in the Force knew of your immortality that when we first encountered you, Chosen One but we knew it would be painful for you to accept the knowledge," Qui-Gonn sighed.

"Oh, twenty years after Kamino, I didn't understand why I wasn't aging and I tried to blame their devises," Anakin sighed.

"They told you that even when you lost limbs and were burned, you'd always had the ability to regrew and regerate any body cells anew but that you had been too constricted by the prosthetics and your own beliefs for your body to attempt it- and their cloning chamber merely let your own cells be free to regenerate the youth and strength inside you'd never actually lost," Qui-Gonn's Ghost recalled.

"Why must I be alone? My dearest descendent the last to go?" Anakin sniffed.

"Why always of yourself must you think?" Yoda's Ghost asked as he became visible.

"Master Yoda," Anakin gulped as he nodded towards the Old Jedi.

"So opposite, Luke and you," Yoda's Ghost laughed.

"Yet, they came together and did many great things all these years that neither could have done alone," Qui-Gonn's Ghost beamed.

"You've seen us together all this time?" Anakin asked.

"Indeed- and I'm anxious to talk to Luke face-to-face, so to speak, now that he's in the nether realm with us. He and I have communed for many decades,"Qui-Gonn's Ghost laughed.

"We've built the New Jedi Order the way I think you'd want it," Anakin beamed.

"A better Founder, we could not have asked for than in Luke," Yoda's Ghost conceded.

"Even with us welcoming attachments and family instead of forbidding them as per the Old Order?" Anakin asked.

"A mistake was made, we concede. But we wanted to spare you and the other Jedi from losing loved ones," Yoda's Ghost sighed.

"Master Yoda, it seems to have always been the Will of the Force that I live for a greatly extended epoch," Anakin started to say.

"Indeed- only fatal blows by Jedi or Sith could have stopped that," Yoda's Ghost sighed.

"But you know what it's like to live 900 years. How could you have done so without attachments? Did you ever wish you'd fallen in love?" Anakin asked.

"What makes you think I never?"Yoda's Ghost groaned.

"Really? What happened? Did she naturally grow old while you stayed young?" Anakin asked.

"Discovered the one I loved, Plageous did and. ." Yoda's Ghost groaned and actually started to cry.

"So it wasn't entirely out of defense that you slew that Sith," Anakin gasped with a start.

"No, Boy Who Destroyed Vader and His Emperor Through Compassion For His Son, it was not. Very close I came to going to the Dark Side. My path, I didn't want any other Jedi to follow," Yoda's Ghost groaned.

"Master Yoda, I pray you've been reunited since. ." Anakin groaned as he hugged Yoda's Ghost.

"What matters to you is to keep following the Light Side and your loved ones who showed you Its Path in the times ahead. Only by that way can you save yourself and so many others during the times ahead," Yoda's Ghost insisted as he straightened up.

"What's going to happen?" Anakin asked with a gasp.

"Too hard to say at this time and, perhaps, better not known but remember Chosen One, that the Force knows you can lead the way for so many- and not just to your son's faith!" Qui-Gonn's Ghost insisted.

"Go, we must to help prepare the way for Luke but we'll be back when needed," Yoda's Ghost insisted as he and Qui-Gonn's Ghosts faded.

"Padmara, Kit,Artoo, everyone, don't be afraid! You can come in!" Anakin pleaded as they entered the room where the New Jedi Founder Luke Skywalker had just died at the age of 123 years in the Year 104 After Yavin.

"Pops, are you sure?" Padmara Skywalker Banai asked while he hugged the dozens of relatives and Jedi who entered the room.

"I won't bite and for his sake- and _mine_, I intend to watch over you as long as possible! Come on, let's celebrate my son's life the way your great-grandmother Padmé insisted everyone to celebrate hers when it was her time!" Anakin exclaimed with a gulp.

"Pops, are we going to have to cancel the Free Day Fireworks," Kit groaned.

"Kit, how can you think of that after my Grandpa. .." Padmara snapped.

"No,we've had fireworks every Free Day these past 100 years and now your great-great-grandfather Luke's free,too, so he'd want us to celebrate, too!" Anakin gulped- as they left the chamber while Anakin clutched Luke's empty New Jedi tunic.


	9. The Null Side

"Candle's Flicker" (Chapter Nine)

By Ennon

A/N- doreenthatshot- Totally shocked in a good way, eh? Well, hopefully more surprises ahead for you!

Miss Naye- Glad you think the story's awesome but sorry that the last chapter made you cry. Yeah, it's sad that Ani has the power that Palpatine craved and his evident eternal youth has caused him heartache by him outliving his original family. We'll have to see if Anakin remarries and, if so,to whom.

Raijan- Two usages of a diety's name as an expletive in a row by reviewers! This shock SURE has evoked strong emotions. LOL! Well, I hope you at least were able to take some comfort in the Padmé getting the ending of being with her adoring husband fifty years and loved by her family as its matriarch. I guess that's sorta storybook. We'll have to see how Ani's time ends. Any thoughts on both Luke and Padmé both reaching ancient ages and spending their last mortal moments trying to console the perpetually youthful Anakin? It wasn't easy to put in 100 years of exposition in a single deathbed scene.

NEW CHAPTER

_"Saplings Grow Into the Tallest,Sturdiest Trees Then Die and Topple to the Ground For Beetle Larvae Food and Compost,_

_Generations of Our Cubs Grow Into Mighty Warriors, Get Grey Coats Then Become Memories_

_But Our Padmé's Widower Has Yet to Get A Line or Grey Hair- For His Youth Is Eternal While He Guards Our Destiny_"-Wookiee Proverb

"Oh, My Son and True Master, I greet you this morning as I pray for your guidance to keep me where I should be on the Light Side during this day- and, if you believe today's the day to give me personal instructions, I'll be more than happy and honored to listen,"Anakin( still appearing to be only in his early 20's despite his incredible chronological age) prayed on his knees in front of the Chess Table of the Millenium Falcon and was ready to stand back up and change out of his sleeping shorts and into his work clothes when.

"Father, the time when you will have to prove yourself to possibly save the Galaxy is fast approaching. Seek not what is the most obvious target," the Force Ghost of Luke Skywalker implored(who appeared a century younger than the mortal age he'd reached).

"Oh, it's been so long since you last visited. Can you tell your mother how much I miss. ..? "Anakin started to beg.

"Now's not the time for sentiment, Father, but for action. Sentiment may prove useful at a later time, though," Luke's Force Ghost insisted as he suddenly faded away.

"Luke, why was your time with me so fleeting as it was in my life ?" Anakin sighed as he started to stand up again and get dressed.

Anakin saw via the Force a small hyperdrive-equipped cruiser skirting Kashyyyk's upper atmosphere and seeking a clearing to land in the late afternoon.

"Hmm, I sense Outworlders have landed and their ship's somewhat disabled. I'm sorry, Artoo, but we can't explain you any other way until we can see if they're trustworthy," Anakin groaned as he brushed his thick blond bangs out of his eyes while putting a large laundry hamper over Artoo.

A large Wookie with a grey fringes in his thick coat growled a bit while clutching a lightsabre on his utility belt.

"It's two men and a woman from Bespin via Coruscant and they come alone, Ruwee," Anakin explained.

Ruwee barked apprehensively a bit.

"She seems to be a good person, one man is a stuck-up moron while the other seems quite secretive about something and is a . .He's shutting me out. Keep the lightsabre handy but hidden, my New Jedi and Wookiee brother!" Anakin explained while Ruwee walked to the front of the workshop and started tooling with a broken holovid monitor on the counter and Anakin (in soiled coveralls) put his neck-length hair back under his mechanic's cap and slid under the speeder he was repairing-being careful not to let his own lightsabre be visible from under the coveralls he wore to protect the sleeveless New Jedi uniform.

It was a small workshop not dissimilar to the one Anakin had been first discovered inside on Tatooine when he was Watto's slave when he was a mere boy those centuries before- with droids and starcruiser parts in various states of disrepair that Anakin was working on- and carefully hidden behind it in a large cave with a collapsible garage was Anakin and Artoo's home, the Millenium Falcon.

Ruwee groaned a bit.

"Yes, I was hoping they'd turn around and just take off but it seems they're destined to come here-even though they don't think this is what they're seeking,"Anakin sighed as he got back under the speeder.

"At last, an actual building on the ground on this backwards planet! Several of these beasts pointed this way when we asked where we could find a mechanic,"the 30-something black haired man of slightly taller than average height and a bit of extra weight sniffed in the finest New Republic Coruscant vestments about an hour later.

Ruwee growled a bit and pointed to himself then to the holovid he was repairing.

"Do you think I'm going to let an _animal_ touch my ship?" the man sniffed.

Ruwee grunted in protest.

"Jorkal, I think we may need to be slightly more diplomatic here- at least until our ship's repaired," the red-haired woman in her early 20's in sky blue coveralls and boots protested.

"Miruba, did I ask or need your opinion? Your father betrothed you to me and I won't stand for insolence," Jorkal sneered while Miruba sullenly lowered her eyes.

"Excuse me, but I couldn't help overhearing. If you need a mechanic, my employer Ruwee is among the best in the Sector!" Anakin shouted while staying under the landspeeder.

"Why don't you come out here, young man?" Jorkal shouted.

"Because Clordret needs his speeder repaired in time for his cousin's wedding tomorrow," Anakin sighed.

"Please, sir. It won't take very long for you to translate for us,"Miruba Panashi pleaded.

"Ruwee and the other Wookies understand Coruscantic perfectly well but they can only respond in Shyriiwook,"Anakin explained.

"Ruwee? Isn't that a Nabootanean name?" Miruba asked.

"Ruwee's clan have had a lengthy association with Naboo. His ten-times great-grandfather Chewbacca. ..," Anakin started to explain.

"Why are you boring us with this trivia when you can be repairing our ship. Have you no respect for my station or your elders? Don't you know who I am or what I'm capable of?" Jorkal boiled.

Anakin thought for a minute that he could ask Jorkal the very same questions but he could almost hear Luke's voice inside his head pleading with him to hold back.

"You don't know how often I've heard that," Anakin said with half a laugh.

"It can't have been often. Who'd visit such a primitive planet?" Jorkal sniffed.

"Why are _you_ here?" Anakin asked.

"It's NONE OF YOUR. ..!" Jorkal boiled.

"My betrothed seeks an audience with the Wookiee Elder Tvashkiii,"Miruba started to explain.

"Oh, he doesn't see just anyone for no reason," Anakin pondered while Ruwee emphatically barked in agreement.

"I'm not just anyone. I'm New Republic Senator Jorkal Dervuek of Bespin,"Jorkal fumed.

"Titles make little impression on our Elders here. His wife Pruako could intercede on. ." Anakin started to explain.

"Very well. Summon her here and then translate my need to . . ." Jorkal snapped.

"That would never do! First off, an Outworlder male approaching a Wookie Eldress without her consent could be a brutal and short end for the Outworlder," Anakin pleaded.

"But _you_'re obviously not from here," Jorkal sniffed while pointing to Anakin.

"No, but I've undergone the Rites of Kinship and I've participated in Naming Days! " Anakin explained- somewhat losing patience.

"You're saying they've adopted you?" Jorkal sneered.

"Yes, they have. Ruwee's clan is my family just as . ..it should be" Anakin replied catching himself before he revealed that ages ago Chewbacca and Padmé's families had joined together by Kinship Bond- so impressed had Chewbacca and the rest of the Wookiees been by Padmé's kindness and intelligence as well as her helping fight for their rights before and during the Imperial Gap (as Palpatine's reign had become known to New Republic chroniclers). Thus, as Padmé's widower, he maintained dower rights to that Kindship Bond.

"What's your name?" Miruba asked.

"I'm called Twinfa Padwid!"Anakin proclaimed- not adding that Wookiees used three names, one for Outworlders (which is what he was using at this time), one for other Wookies( which was his original one), and one for those on a spiritually intimate level (in his case, Ani).

"Twinfa, you said that the Wookiee Eldress Pruako wouldn't allow an Outworlder male to approach her without her consent. How about an Outworlder female?" Miruba asked.

"That's entirely preposterous and you don't even know a word of Wookie," Jorkal sneered.

"Neither do you but I've learned the language since my arrival and could translate for her," Anakin explained.

"You're expecting her to go alone with you?" Jorkal sneered.

"She has to be the one to approach Eldress Pruako and Pruako would be offended if her first meeting with Miruba was tainted by an Outworlder male's presence," Anakin explained.

"Offended? What about your own presence?" Jorkal sniffed.

"As you so diplomatically pointed out, Miruba doesn't know any Wookie so she needs me to interpret for her. We'll be return soon enough to find out if your request for an Audience is granted," Anakin explained.

"And why wouldn't it be?" Jorkal sneered.

"Perhaps, they might be offended as to how you didn't give their subjects the proper respect when you first arrived," Anakin insisted.

Jorkal started making faces.

"Betrothed, we've come a very long way to seek answers to urgent problems. Please, let me and Twinfa try to work on something for you," Miruba pleaded.

"Very well. I'll wait here!" Jorkal fumed.

Ruwee growled hostily.

"Oh, it wouldn't do for you to stay alone unchaperoned here in the Sacred Forest before you've gotten approval from the Elder and Eldress. Ruwee will escort you back to your ship and he even will be happy to repair it for free while you wait!" Anakin proclaimed.

Ruwee barked affirmatively.

"But Twinfa I. . "Jorkal gulped.

"No need to thank him. He's doing his duty to protect an Outworlder and to prevent any further misunderstandings before Miruba's and my return,"Anakin half-laughed before he changed from his soiled coveralls to his New Jedi uniform .

"So, Twinfa, how did you arrive here? I heard a story of someone who got shipwrecked here but that was ages ago,"Miruba asked as they made their way to the

"You're referring to Han Solo who went onto become a New Republic General as well as the New Alderaan Matriarch's husband," Anakin recalled.

"Oh, yes! I'd forgotten who gave the Solo to the Organa-Solo Dynasty. How many centuries have they been held the ceremonial posts there?" Miruba asked.

"Quite a few, I understand. Princess Leia refused the title of Queen for herself and insisted she and her descendents always call themselves Reigning Princes and Princesses of New Alderaan to honor her adoptive family the Senator and Queen of Alderaan who perished in the First Death Star Explosion," Anakin sighed.

"Such a brave soul she must have been! How often I've heard the story and wish I could have stepped behind her to console her right after the Imperials destroyed her homeworld," Miruba sighed.

" I know what you mean," Anakin gulped- as he accidently stumbled and dropped his lightsabre on the ground.

"You're a New Jedi aren't you, Twinfa?" Miruba gasped.

"What makes you think that?" Anakin gulped.

"Because only New Jedi carry those," Miruba proclaimed.

"I could have stolen it from the corpse of one," Anakin pondered.

"Jedi can't be killed!" Miruba gasped.

"Not easily," Anakin groaned as he clutched the japor snippet around his neck.

"I doubt you could have done so. You're not capable of that. You have much too kind a face!" Miruba beamed.

"Faces don't always match the deeds," Anakin sighed.

"How much further to Tvashkii and Pruako's lair?" Miruba asked.

"Not much farther! We just have to find the right vine," Anakin pondered.

"Vine?" Miruba asked.

"You wouldn't want to have to jump from branch to branch. My legs are virtual springs from practice but I'm not sure about yours," Anakin laughed.

"You want me to climb on your back?" Miruba asked.

"It's strong enough and I'm tall enough," Anakin shrugged.

"Oh, if Jorkal ever imagined. .." Miruba gasped.

"Now, why would either of us tell him- and the Wookiees are excellent at keeping secrets," Anakin laughed while raising an eyebrow.

"But I don't know how proper. .." Miruba gulped.

"Compared it being minutes away by vines instead of hours by foot, I think decorum won't suffer. Besides, were I to try anything on you, my Wookiee breathren would tear me apart!" Anakin laughed.

So, with a gulp Miruba climbed onto Anakin's back and wrapped her legs around his thighs before he leaped ten feet off the ground(the top five via the Force) to the nearest vine and started swinging. He couldn't help but think of when Padmé was on his back his very first time on Kashyyyk and they'd swung on vines when they'd visited Chewbacca's family some ten years after their reunification.

After about fifteen minutes, they arrived at Pruako's treetop school where the Eldress taught about twenty Wookiee local cubs useful early skills.

While to Miruba (and any other Coruscantic speaker) what Anakin and Pruako spoke sounded nothing more than Wookiee barks, growls, groans and cries, he did introduce Miruba to the grey-maned Eldress who wore a large pleated apron (instead of a plain one for Wookiee females of lesser status).

While the cubs seated crosslegged on the wooden floor roared their approval at seeing Anakin (and getting their lesson disrupted), Pruako wasn't so happy when she put down her pointer and walked to the back of the classroom.

"Ageless One, are you sure this Outworlder won't do us harm?" Pruako asked (in Wookiee) .

Anakin slightly nodded his head.

"Venerated, I believe her heart is in the right place but I'm not certain about her betrothed's, the Bespin Senator- or their as-yet unseen shipboard companion's," Anakin conceded (in Wookiee).

"So why have you brought her to me?" Pruako asked (in Wookiee).

"The Outworlders need to at least know we gave them a fair chance before we end our hospitality in allowing their ship to stay here," Anakin replied (in Wookiee).

"I suppose you're right but I want no harm to come to our brethren or to you,Anakin Skywalker" Pruako sighed (in Wookiee).

"Can you tell Pruako that we are merely here to seek knowledge?" Miruba gulped.

At that Pruako made a sharp series of barks.

"Pruako says she excuses you believing her and the other Wookiees to be ignorant of Coruscantic Basic this one time but that it's you who need my interpreting not her," Anakin sighed.

"I'm sorry. .Venerated Lady. We come here to seek knowledge that we have lost over the centuries," Miruba sighed- to which Pruako gruffly growled.

"She asks what kind of knowledge?" Anakin asked.

"My betrothed Jorkal Dervuek of, New Republic Senator of Bespin wants to know if you have knowledge of the Chosen One, the Dark Lord, Galaxy Liberator, New Jedi Strong Arm and Ageless One?" Miruba asked.

Pruako barked in a bit of alarm.

"Eldress Pruako asks why Jorkal thinks the Kashyyyk Wookiees have knowledge of any of the individuals you seek," gulped Anakin with a straight face as possible.

"I know that it sounds a bit preposterous but these are supposed to all be the SAME MAN who was the Old Jedi's strongest shining light before he was recruited by the Sith then for almost a quarter-century he worked hard to drive light FROM the Galaxy. .." Miruba gulped.

"Until his son the New Jedi Founder Luke Skywalker freed him of his walking prison and showed him the way back. Then, together, they freed the rest of the Galaxy from the ex-Imperials. . ," Anakin gulped.

"You've heard . .?" Miruba started to say while turning to Anakin.

"Ageless One, now's not the time for sentimentality. No point in having this Outworlder prematurely guess before her party's motives prove trustworthy," Pruako warned in Wookiee (which sounded like barks and growls).

"Eldress Pruako has and insists that you continue addressing her alone until your audience is finished," Anakin gulped.

"Sorry. Anyway, the legends say the New Jedi Anakin Skywalker did a great deal to bring light and freedom to the Galaxy for . ..centuries after his son's death. He was victorious against the New Sith Apprentice Darth Kinder some three hundred years ago on Genosis but that was his last confirmed sighting," Miruba sighed.

Pruako barked in curiosity.

"Are you sure about that, the Eldress asks?" Anakin gulped.

"Some say he made appearances at his wife's mausoleum in Naboo a century later. Others say he visited the Central New Jedi Temple on Yavin on landmark anniversaries of his son's Triumph over the First Death Star. Yet others say he visited his descendents, the Organa-Solos of New Alderaan, and some branches of Skywalkers in Tatooine and throughout the Galaxy but none of these leads went anywhere," Miruba groaned.

Pruako growled in consternation.

"And what makes you think we might have any knowledge of him," Anakin translated.

"Because we heard he was supposed to have had a link to the Wookiees and may have left knowledge of where he might have ventured," Miruba groaned.

Pruako scoffed and growled.

" From what you're saying, this Anakin Skywalker would have to be at least seven-hundred fifty years old- more than twice as old as even the longest-lived Wookiee!" Anakin translated.

"It does strain all logic, I agree. Ma'am," Miruba gulped.

Pruako growled some more.

"Besides, even if someone reached that age, I doubt they'd in any shape to be more than a museum piece," Anakin translated though he couldn't help but to momentarily roll his eyes at the Wookiee Eldress.

"But the New Republic needs his guidance because the Galaxy is under a new threat," Miruba pleaded.

Pruako barked a bit.

"If the Galaxy were under a new threat wouldn't the New Jedi be able to take care of it- or have contacted him. Um, that is. ..if he were still alive?" Anakin gulped

" That's not what I said," Pruako barked in Wookiee.

" I know. Sorry," Anakin quickly barked back in Wookiee.

"What did she say?" Miruba asked.

"Eldress Pruako says she will persuade her husband the Elder Tvashkiii to meet with your betrothed but she needs to know what kind of threat the galaxy is believed to be under," Anakin translated.

"I wish I knew. All I know is that it's believed only someone who's been steeped in both Jedi and Sith teachings can possibly defeat it," Miruba sighed.

"But this Anakin Skywalker taught what he knew to the New Jedi so they could outflank the Sith were they to ever re-appear- so Eldress Pruako has been told," Anakin gulped while Pruako gave him a sharp growl that cannot be translated.

"Well, he wasn't called the Chosen One for nothing!" Miruba beamed.

Pruako growled a bit- and walked to the front of the classroom then pushed a hidden button that made a holovid screen pop out from the top of the wooden desk. One of the many reasons Anakin was embraced by the Wookiees was his ability to construct the most modern technology within traditional Wookiee furnishings. After a few seconds of touching the right buttons, she was able to communicate to Tvashkiii the request.

"He agrees to meet you and Jorkal one hour before sunset in the clearing immediately adjacent to Ruwee's Workshop. He warns there must be no weapons brought there by Outworlders," Anakin translated.

"Oh thank you so much! May I borrow this to tell Jorkal the news?" Miruba asked.

"Twinfa, you've never told me why you're here or where you came from but I detect a hint of Tatooine in your accent," Miruba asked as Anakin landed the two of them on the ground after jumping from the closest tree vines to the clearing near the Bespin space cruiser.

"Let's just say my Wookiee brethren have proven to be more understanding than the family I have left has proven," Anakin groaned.

"So you ran away from home as a teen? Don't you miss your original family?" Miruba gulped.

"More than you can possibly imagine," Anakin sighed as he clutched the japor snippet around his neck that had become virtually black from wear despite Anakin's cleaning and repolishing over the centuries with the string hole and the japor's back having to have been reinforced by steel bracing.

"Then why stay here? We could give you a ride back!" Miruba beamed.

"It's not that simple. My . . extended family regard me as a curiosity and an anomaly. I almost think they'd prefer to think I was dead,"Anakin groaned.

"How sad! I have an idea, Twinfa! If you joined our search for this Chosen One and we find him, maybe that family you have left will embrace you," Miruba exclaimed.

" I don't need them. Everything I need is provided here," Anakin exclaimed.

"_Everything_? " Miruba gulped as she kissed Anakin on the lips.

Anakin kissed her back quite intently and hugged her to him but then.

"NO! It's wrong! You're betrothed and I . .have nothing to offer," Anakin gulped.

" If you can be brave and run away from uncaring relatives as a teen, why shouldn't I. . .? " Miruba pleaded.

"Run away if you like but I . . can't have you," Anakin groaned.

" A few minutes ago when I was clinging to your physique on the vines, it sure seemed you COULD,Twinfa!" Miruba sputtered.

"Regardless of whatever I may feel, it's wrong to let you just throw away your. . ," Anakin groaned.

"You've been kinder to me and looked out for me more in these few hours than anyone else has in entire life- including my OWN family. And, you're quite strong and handsome at that. Why shouldn't I feel attracted?" Miruba asked.

"Because I STILL love my wife and every day I pray to be reunited with her," Anakin groaned.

"Wife?" Miruba gulped.

"Yes, the most kind and beautiful being in the galaxy whose presence made all but the heartless cry for her," Anakin started to cry.

"I'm sorry. I guess it's still too soon," Miruba sighed.

"Better too soon than too late," Anakin groaned.

"I envy her. Your devotion to her memory sounds almost as strong as the Chosen One's was said to have been to _his _wife's," Miruba sighed.

"Maybe one day you'll have someone who loves you that much. You could break the betrothal to Jorkal," Anakin gulped.

"My parents would disown me and the dowry's been paid," Miruba gulped.

"Dowry? The New Republic abolished those ages ago- as well as forced marriages," Anakin pleaded.

"Sure, in theory, but what chance do I have in this Galaxy without my family's support?" Miruba groaned.

"You did a far better job pleading with Pruako than Jorkal could have done,"Anakin insisted.

"Really?" Miruba beamed.

"Yes- and I think that might help him and the others appreciate you for who you _really_ are," Anakin insisted.

"Thanks, Twinfa!" Miruba exclaimed as she kissed him- on the cheek while they made their way to the Bespin ship's clearing.

"Your welcome but I think I'd better walk slightly behind you so Jorkal will know I was your bodyguard and nothing more," Anakin gulped and stiffened while looking straight into her eyes.

"You seem to have seen far more than. .." Miruba exclaimed with a gulp.

"Miruba, it's getting close to time for us to meet these. .. creatures. You need to freshen up," Jorkal sneered.

"Aren't you going to thank Twinfa for getting me to and from them in one piece," Miruba asked.

"He's just doing his job and his employer seems to have fixed our engine so we can clear out as soon as we find out," Jorkal sniffed then slammed the shuttle ship door behind them.

Ruwee walked out and started to talk with Anakin.

"No surprise Jorkal was a total snot to you. I'm sorry you had to go through that," Anakin groaned.

Ruwee barked a bit.

"They wouldn't let you inside the actual fuselage itself? Even with their windows curtained, I can tell there's a 3rd creature with them but I can't tell what he is or why he's here. Still, I sense something I haven't felt since. .. ." Anakin pondered- and then suddenly felt that the japor pendant was missing.

"Oh, not AGAIN!" Anakin boiled.

Ruwee groaned.

"Yes, I should be more careful of it when swinging through trees. Can't say I don't have time to look for it," Anakin groaned.

Ruwee barked.

"You're right. The Force told me she's NOT a descendant but I couldn't go through with . .." Anakin groaned.

Ruwee pleaded in some growls.

" Yes, I'm sure I could go through the Kinship Rites again in my OWN name after all this time were I to remarry but I couldn't put her through all being married to me would entail for her and any progeny," Anakin groaned.

Ruwee barked a bit.

"We need to be getting cleaned up,too. For the Elder and Eldress don't brook sloppiness during Audiences and we'll need to translate. We'll need to be careful and look out for Artoo for sometime. I can tell," Anakin groaned.


	10. Tabula Rasa

'Force At Bay' (Chapter Ten)

By Ennon

A/N- Thanks for ALL the reviews since last time. Here goes my replies:

Miss Naye (#9)- Glad you like Anakin's most recent tag. Interesting insight you have about Miruba and we'll have to see what kind of piece she makes in the puzzle.

Swspacecadet (#1)- Glad you considered this a GREAT start (kudos are good) and I hope the rest proves good to you,too!

Swpacecadet (#9?)- I hope the newest chapter is worth looking forward to for you and you're right about the he/she groaned! I'll try to be more careful from now on. Sorry!

Swspacecadet (#8)- One of your faves, eh? Well, I'm glad you like the (in your words) very unusual twist. I'll give you more ASAP!

Serenity (#1)- Grateful you consider this a 'nice fic'. Best I can do with your search for other A/L fics (of the non- father/son variety?) is to just type those two in the ole Search engine under Characters.

Storyteller Person- Yeah, immortality would be quite sad if one outlives those they love. I hope the impending expression (and reasons WHY they want to find him) work for you and I hope this wasn't too long a wait for you!

CHAPTER BEGINS:

"Hands and feet spic and span again! Hmm, I just have one thing left to do before we join Tvashiii and Pruako to Jorkal and Miruba," Anakin proclaimed as he finished toweling off his extremities.

Ruwee grunted a bit.

" I know it may be a bit late but. ." Anakin sighed as he took a deep breath and went into a trance.

"Ageless One, do you have any idea what time is it here?" the voice of Jedi Master Grogan Wrurnik (a Sand Person man in his late 70's) proclaimed inside Anakin's head.

"Sorry, Master Grogan. With dozens of time zones per planet and millions of planets, it's sometimes hard to keep track," Anakin sighed via the Force.

"It's three in the morning here in the New Jedi Temple Complex in Yavin. How would you like it if I woke you out of a sound sleep with a Force Link," Grogan fumed aloud (and via the Force) to Anakin from Yavin Four.

"Well, you don't have the quarter million midichlorinian count like I do now so you couldn't," Anakin shrugged via the Force.

"That's not the point! " Grogan's voice snapped via the Force.

"You're right. I'm sorry for waking you but this may be somewhat important and I need your info," Anakin sighed.

"Okay, as long as I'm awake, I'll do my best," Grogan's voice sighed via the Force.

" Did a Bespin Senator named Jorkal poke around the Temple recently asking about me?" Anakin asked.

"Oh, yeah. He was one of the most arrogant pests we've had in decades. I didn't mind giving out the usual vague 'maybes' to him. Don't tell me he showed up on Kashyyyk?" Grogan's voice sighed.

"Yeps, and he's meeting with the Wookiee Elders seeking their help in trying to find me," Anakin groaned.

"Are they planning on sending him on a wild vecto chase?" Grogan asked via the Force.

"That's the idea and I'll lead the way so my Wookiee brethren can stay in peace but he and his betrothed Miruba claim that there's a new Galactic threat," Anakin gulped via the Force.

"That old line. The New Republic has had stability, democracy and prosperity for over 700 years thanks our efforts. Why should we chase after every. ..? " Grogan asked via the Force.

"Master Grogan. Remember what Our Founder said about how the Old Republic's downfall was in its complacency. I've seen the New Jedi rebuilt from the ashes with only My True Master to its current strength and numbers and I don't want anything to risk any setbacks for our Galaxy or Order," Anakin pleaded via the Force.

"What makes you think. . .?" Grogan sputtered via the Force.

"Our Founder, My True Master, Savior and Son Luke came to me early this morning and warned that my time to attempt to save the Galaxy is nearing," Anakin groaned.

"Are you sure? I know you've been yearning. .." Grogan gulped via the Force.

"Master Grogan, I'd like to remind you that in the 715 years since our first disastrous encounter on Bespin, both in this realm and as Jedi Ghost, Luke has never told me anything he didn't believe to be true- not even **once**!" Anakin strongly affirmed aloud and via the Force.

"Did he go into any detail?" Grogan gasped via the Force.

"He told me not to consider the foe to be the most obvious one and not to be sentimental," Anakin recalled.

"And nothing else?" Grogan sighed via the Force.

"My son evidently trusts that he told me what was necessary for the Galaxy's survival. I can't help but think that Senator Jorkal has something to do. .." Anakin sighed.

Ruwee pleaded via growling.

"Do I hear Ruwee reminding you that the Audience with the Wookiee Elders and Jorkal is nearing?" Grogan laughed via the Force.

"I'm afraid so but I beg you to heed Our Founders words," Anakin pleaded via the Force.

"We'll consult the 'New Jedi Tomes' Holitexts' for the right verses he left behind. If you see him again, could you thank him for me? Our peoples on Tatooine would still be bitter foes if it weren't for. ." Grogan sighed via the Force.

"So much darkness would hang over ALL our lives but for him," Anakin conceded via the Force as they saluted each other and the Force link was ended.

A few hours later. . .

"No, Artoo, you'd better be staying here with Ruwee. I'll be riding with Jorkal and Miruba in their own craft first thing in the morning," Anakin sighed that night as he and Artoo were helping Ruwee going over the hololedger one last time before in Ruwee's Workshop.

Ruwee growled a bit.

"I know you want to go with me,too, but the Elders ruled you're needed here. Besides, you don't want to miss your great-grandson's Naming Day next week," Anakin sighed as he scratched Ruwee's right ear.

Ruwee pleaded while giving Anakin a body-lifting Wookiee hug.

"Of course, I'll be there if I can divert those Jorkal soon enough. I want to give your great-grandson something I arranged with the current Tatooine Governor- a Lifetime Key to Banai City," Anakin declared- as _he_ bodily lifted Ruwee, hugged him then took out the holovid key from the counter drawer he intended for the Wookiee cub.

Ruwee barked a bit.

"I sure CAN remember when it was called Mos Eisley but your great-grandson's namesake did so MUCH to help Tatooine in his four decades as Senator and his son rebuilt the place so that it's the shining jewel and oasis of Outer Rim cities!" Anakin recalled.

Ruwee groaned somewhat.

"Haven't I told you that story about YOUR namesake- my father-in-law enough? That's one reason I prefer Wookiees to most humans. You never underestimate the power of history!" Anakin laughed.

Ruwee howled triumphantly.

"Okay, on your own Naming Day, you were set to be called something else but then you bolted out of your mother's arms and dashed to the nearby stream where you shocked everyone by catching a fish with your hands so I insisted you had to be named for the family fisherman!"Anakin laughed.

Artoo beeped a bit.

"Artoo, you remember how Our Padmé's father Ruwee Naberrie was a fisherman and he'd come down from the mountain village to sell his wares in the Theed marketplace. My Angel was able to work out a system that ended the fistfighting over the market stalls when she was only seven. Her peacemaking proved the path to queenhood and the Senate!" Anakin recalled.

Artoo sputtered a bit.

"Now, why do you think I'd be asking for. ..?" Anakin asked.

Artoo protested and Ruwee growled.

" I know Outworlders are here but it's been twenty years since last I saw. ." Anakin sighed- as Artoo reluctantly put forth a holovid image of Padmé at the age of fourteen wearing a white jumpsuit and the then still-bone white Japor Snippet.

Artoo mournfully beeped.

"I can always feel your love from the nether world and my life's a good one with our Wookiee and Jedi brethren but I still long to embrace you again, My Angel," Anakin sniffed.

" I THOUGHT that necklace looked familiar," Miruba gulped with her face looking in shock as though she was seeing Anakin for the first time as she came inside the door of Ruwee's Workshop holding the now-blackened Japor Snippet aloft in her right hand.

"Miruba what are you DOING here?"Anakin asked in a panic as Artoo immediately cut off Padmé's image.

"That's what I'd like to know about you," Miruba gulped.

" Pay it no mind. Old data. I . .um bought this antique imitation in a Corellian flea market," Anakin sputtered.

"I already tested the oxidation and it proved to have been carved no less than 750 years ago," Miruba sighed.

"Man, I sure outsmarted the Corellians on _that_ deal," Anakin nervously laughed.

"Why didn't I put it together before, Twinfa Padwid. You were the Twins' father and Padmé's widower, Anakin Skywalker," Miruba sighed.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm twenty-two-years-old! Does I look anywhere near fifty-nine much less _seven-hundred_-fifty nine that Jorkal claims this Chosen One is supposed to be?" Anakin asked.

"No, but I can tell by your eyes that they've seen far more wondrous and terrible things than even the most ancient sages I've met," Miruba beamed as she looked into them while she placed the Japor Snippet in his hand and clutched it.

"So, I happen to have an old necklace and . .." Anakin gulped.

"And an ancient astromech droid that happens to play images of someone who's been dead for over . .." Miruba breathlessly intoned.

"What makes you think. ..?" Anakin gasped.

"Jorkal and I studied all the extant holovids of the Ageless One's family before our arrival- and while his own image was mysteriously obscured in all of them, the images of his beloved wife was perfectly preserved- and she's wearing your necklace," Miruba excitedly proclaimed as she hugged Anakin.

"So you decided to return my necklace and. .how long have you stood in the doorway?" Anakin asked.

"Long enough to hear that you attended the grey-maned Ruwee's Naming Day and he's named for your father-in-law!" Miruba proclaimed.

"Okay, so I'm closer to 300 than 22," Anakin sighed as he looked her in the eye.

"Anakin Skywalker. .." Miruba started to say.

" I agreed to help Jorkal find this Chosen One AND to do what I could to rid the Galaxy of whatever this new threat is but can you look me in the eye and tell me that you completely believe Jorkal has the Galaxy's best interests rather than his own career at heart?" Anakin implored while putting his right and left thumb on her temples and doing his best to probe her thoughts.

"Forgive this usage of Sith Secret Seeking, My True Master and Savior, but this may be too important to take a chance any other way," Anakin silently intoned to Luke via the Force.

"Well, I want to. .but I'm not sure," Miruba started to cry.

"He doesn't know you're here! Of that, I'm certain," Anakin exclaimed while hugging her.

"I won't tell him who you REALLY are but what if there is a new threat to the Galaxy?" Miruba gulped.

"I know- and I'll go with him to try to find it. Even though I don't trust Jorkal or whoever that 3rd party is . ." Anakin started to say.

"Kha-tsel Sarin is a bit scary-looking but our bodyguard is perfectly loyal to Jorkal and me and would die for us," Miruba exclaimed.

"Why does that name sound familiar?" Anakin asked while scratching his chin.

"You haven't met him so why. ..?" Miruba exclaimed.

"And neither you nor Jorkal have made mention of him. Why hasn't he even left your ship's fuselage?" Anakin asked.

"Because his appearance is somewhat frightening to those who don't know him," Miruba explained.

"I can recall experiencing that myself before . .." Anakin sighed but stopped himself while both Artoo and Ruwee gave sharp warnings.

"Oh, what's the use, Old Friends and Brothers? She won't give me away and I need to see what threat the Galaxy may be under," Anakin groaned.

"Can you tell me about more about Ruwee's namesake Mr. Naberrie?" Miruba pleaded.

"You DID hear quite a bit," Anakin sighed.

"You must have thought a great deal of him to have had one of your KinsWookiees named for him," Miruba laughed.

"Only in retrospect," Anakin shrugged.

"Did he try to run your life or not consider you good enough for. .." Miruba asked.

"No, he was rather unassuming. I think Han would have preferred having HIM for a father-in-law!" .Anakin laughed- as he put his hand at almost chest level to emphasize the man's height.

"What do you mean?" Miruba asked.

"My Angel talked about him a great deal- like how he and her mother Jorbal would always stay in the Servant's Quarters when visiting Theed Palace and how he never put on airs despite being the Queen and Senator's father!" Anakin recalled.

"And how did you get on with him," Miruba asked.

"I only met the family one time before. ..Mustafar. We'd been married a year but Padmé hadn't told them of our marriage so I ventured there as simply her bodyguard," Anakin recalled.

"Go on," Miruba pleaded.

"We only had the week on Naboo before she had to return to the Senate and I to the Jedi Temple in Coruscant and I'd thought we'd have plenty of time for another honeymoon but she insisted on spending as much time possible with them, "Anakin laughed.

"So you resented them?" Miruba asked.

"Young, selfish fool that I was, I didn't consider them to be anything but distractions from . .OUR time and I was stiff and formal to them as per my Jedi training," Anakin sighed.

"Did they get upset?" Miruba queried.

"Not directly. They were far too grateful to have My Angel in their company to want to spoil things. The one time Ruwee Naberrie spoke to me was to ask me if I wanted to go fishing with him alone early the next morning," Anakin laughed.

"I take it you refused," Miruba pondered.

" I used the standard excuse that I couldn't leave Padmé unattended. He shrugged his shoulders then looked me in the eye and said 'Son, if you guard treasures too closely, you may wind up losing a lot more than you hope to keep!'" Anakin groaned.

"Whoa!" Miruba gulped.

" Tell me about it. More than once I've wished I'd listened to him- and taken him up on the fishing," Anakin sighed.

"I'll keep your secret at least until you're sure of Jorkal but after your return, I'd like to come back here and. ." Miruba pleaded.

"I'll escort you back to your ship but I'll remain out of sight so Jorkal doesn't wrongly accuse you of anything," Anakin declared as he started out the door with Miruba sadly following behind.

"There you are! What is it with you and your astronomical obsession with seeing stars in every system we land? " Jorkal sneered and opened the hatch door as Miruba approached the ship (with Anakin just on the other side of the clearing).

"I had to. .return something to Twinfa before we left," Miruba gulped.

"It couldn't be that! I ALREADY took it right after our betrothal ceremony," Jorkal meanly laughed while Anakin could see Miruba want to sink into Kashyyyk's ground at that moment.

"No, he dropped something when he translated for me with Eldress Pruako ," Miruba sputtered.

"You could have easily given it back to him when he joined us in the morning. Why do you always have to cause scenes wherever we go?" Jorkal sneered while grabbing her left wrist.

" I don't. ..!" Miruba gasped.

At that moment, Jorkal backhanded her with his right hand.

"How DARE you backtalk me and embarrass me like that!" Jorkal exploded.

Immediately, Anakin bolted from the meadow's edge and tackled Jorkal to the ground

"Don't you EVER strike her again! Do you HEAR me!" Anakin boiled.

"What do you care? She's not YOUR female," Jorkal sneered.

"In Kashyyyk, we wrestle and spar with our brethren all day long among each other (as do Wookiee dams do with each other) to build our strength but we NEVER strike the elderly, cubs OR those of the opposite gender! Say you're sorry and swear by the Light Side to never do that again or. ." Anakin warned as he pushed Jorkal against the ship's side and righted the two of them upright.

"Or what?" Jorkal sneered.

"Or I won't stop my brethren from tearing you apart which is the punishment here for striking an innocent," Anakin boiled as he picked up Jorkal with his right hand and held his left fist against Jorkal's face.

"You just want her alone with you. That's all!" Jorkal boiled.

"No! I agreed to help you in your search for the Chosen One and find the galaxy's threat and I shall while Miruba can stay with one of Pruako's widowed sisters until she can arrange transport," Anakin boiled.

"Maybe you can physically defeat my employer but wait til you try ME!" a voice from inside snarled.

"I'm not afraid of your threat! Show yourself at once!" Anakin demanded.

"Oh, you WILL be of me, Anakin Skywalker!" the voice snarled.

"Anakin Skywalker? And I thought I was YOUR elder," Jorkal gulped.

"Having the Wookiee Jedi in close proximity threw off my detection when we arrived here but he's not here now!" the guard snarled as he came into view of the moonlight and Anakin could see.

"You're a Zabrak like Darth. …" Anakin gulped.

"Darth Maul- my FATHER!" Kha-tsel Sarin who was the image of the red-skinned and multi-horned Zabrek Sith (who'd been Vader's first predecessor )snarled- as he took out his red lightsabre.

"Impossible! He's been DEAD for 750 years! My Master Obi-Wan killed him after he. .." Anakin boiled-as he unsheathed his blue lightsabre and held it in his right hand.

"_After_ he slew your pathetic Jedi dreamer Qui-Gonn," Kha-tsel taunted

"But you're NOT 750 years old. The Force tells me you're not a day over 25!" Anakin gulped.

"You think the Force can tell you _every_thing? Let go my employer or his pathetic betrothed one gets it!" Kha-tsel sneered.

"Twinfa.. .I" Miruba gulped before she started to be Force-choked.

"She's your betrothed, Jorkal! LET HER GO, DEMON!" Anakin boiled while Jorkal shrugged his shoulders.

"Or what, Pops!" Kha-tsel sneered.

" By the Light Side, I . .why are you calling me Pops?" Anakin gulped- for Han Solo's originally sarcastic tag had become the term of endearment all of Anakin's known descendents would address him for over 700 years.

"Because your daughter Leia's descendent Penelli Zornit BORE me!" Kha-tsel sneered.

Anakin suddenly went cold.

"She couldn't have! She was kidnapped twenty-five years ago and she was only thirteen and. ." Anakin gulped.

"She was old enough to BLEED and proved old enough to breed. And, despite her family's pleading and all your futile efforts, no trace of her could be found because she was constantly being moved around!."Kha-tsel boiled.

"What have you done with her?" Anakin shuddered- for he'd felt her die via the Force but had no idea how or where.

" She DIED bearing me when my HORNS tore her from the inside-out! Search your feelings,Pops. You KNOW this to be true!" Kha-tsel sneered as he touched his horned head.

"NO!" Anakin screamed then charged at Kha-tsel and punching him- causing Kha-tsel to release Miruba from the Force-Choke.

"Amazing what the human womb can carry, isn't it?" Kha-tsel sneered.

"You're NOT My Angel's descendant nor mine-and you have NO human DNA!" Anakin boiled as he touched Kha-tsel's flesh.

"Jorkal, can't you do something?" Miruba asked aghast.

"Why should I? Kha-tsel should be able to take care of things!" Jorkal sneered but then Miruba kneed him in the nether regions.

"You have me there. You think the Light Side is resilient? Well, my father Khameir Sarin didn't spend his entire time in Sidious's Coruscant Training Basement. He ventured forth at night and found a Zabrek female on Corcuscant's streets named Vornyet,"Kha-tsel explained-as he swung his Sith lightsabre towards Anakin.

" So he's NOT your actual father," Anakin scoffed as ran forward and banged it with his Jedi blue lightsabre as sparks flew.

"I can't interfere. We non-Jedi and non-Sith would be turned to embers if we got too close!" Jorkal shrugged.

" After your rotten Old Jedi brethren ganged up on him, my mother Vornyet found herself to be carrying me but she wanted to exterminate all the other Jedi and thus had my embryo frozen until it was safe for her to carry me. She died carrying out Order 66 for Sidious's sake against a female Jedi who was also killed before that happened," Kha-tsel taunted.

"So how .. .? " Anakin asked

"My father's droid C3-PX hid out with my frozen embryo in the deepest recesses of the Galaxy waiting for the time for vengeance. He's the one who heard of your promise to your wife not to hurt any progeny again so he found your precious 25-times great-granddaughter Penelli,kidnapped her and implanted me in her then trained me in all the Sith ways my father had trained HIM," Kha-tsel recalled.

"And no doubt you turned him into scrap metal as soon as you got big enough. Typical Sith backstabbing," Anakin sneered.

"Oh, don't act so superior! You were one of US and always WILL be!" Kha-tsel cruelly laughed.

"NO! It's been over 700 years since. . ." Anakin boiled.

"Since my interfering 27-times Great-Uncle Luke had to butt in and give you pathetic pleas. Come on! You miss the bloodlust and depravity. Don't YOU!" Kha-tsel taunted.

"NO! I did a legion of atrocities that make my skin crawl to this day and I missed out on so much those 23 years in that walking cage! My True Master showed me it's NEVER too late and, for ALL our sakes, I'm giving you this chance to come to the Light Side!" Anakin pleaded while trying to hold his temper at bay.

"And for what did you return? You've done nothing but jaunt around the Galaxy trying to bury your Sith past,"Kha-tsel boiled.

"I'm NOT proud of it but I've never lied about it," Anakin boiled.

"And you watched your loved ones DIE! Even Nana Padmé got all shriveled and old as did Multi-Great-Uncle Luke,"Kha-tsel sneered as he jumped forward and swung his red lightsabre nearly glancing Anakin on the shoulder but Anakin was able to summon the Force to keep the blow from actually making contact less than a millimeter from impact.

"My Angel was the most beautiful being in the Galaxy to her dying breath when she a hundred- her white hair only enhanced that !I LOVE her! And My True Master was . .." Anakin boiled.

"MORTAL- as my lightsabre will prove _you_ to be when I resurrect the Sith Order on your carcass!" Kha-tsel sneered as he swung his red lightsabre barely missing Anakin's right arm.

"Siths think life has no value but I relearned that every being I took the lives of DID have value(even my sworn enemies)! You must have gotten SOMEthing of poor Penelli during the time she had to carry your implanted embryo," Anakin pleaded.

"Jedi Mind Trick! Try to trick THIS!" Kha-tsel taunted as he struck Anakin's left foot and AMPUTATED it from his leg.

Anakin took several deep breaths.

"By the Light Side, keep me calm!" Anakin exclaimed.

"You can't be serious. .." Kha-tsel laughed.

"BY THE LIGHT SIDE prompt The Force to trigger the cells of my left foot to regenerate! NOW!" Anakin exclaimed( knowing that his midiclorian count had skyrocketed from Kamino onwards)

At once skin grew over the severed stump, then five tiny toes grew under the skin before they grew full sized then the left foot itself regrew to the exact size and dimensions as Anakin's right adjacent to it-as well as the severed left foot on the ground.

"Yes, that one served me well these 700 years after Kamino but the Light Side has other plans!" Anakin taunted as he picked up his severed left foot and threw it at the stunned Kha-tsel's lightsaber-knocking it clean out of his hands

"You.. .you think that I'll waste time on a non-fatal part of your anatomy again!" Kha-tsel sputtered then boiled as he used the Dark Side to yank his lightsabre back leaped ten feet into the air and tried to impale Anakin in the chest cavity to destroy his heart but Anakin rolled under him at the last possible second.

" If you slay me, I'll be reunited with Padmé, our progeny and friends and I'll give my Jedi strengths to Ruwee and all my Jedi brethren to defeat you so the galaxy has no more threat!" Anakin boiled- as he parried forward with his blue lightsabre and leaped towards Kha-tsel and almost succeeded in decapitating him but Kha-tsel jerked back his neck at the last possible moment.

"But I thought you and the Jedi were the threat," Kha-tsel gulped as he started advancing towards Anakin but in a more defensive move rather than a purely aggressive one.

"Wait , you didn't speak that phrase in enmity. If it's not the Sith or the Jedi who are the galaxy's threat? Who or what could it be?" Anakin gasped while he, Kha-tsel and Miruba looked at each other in puzzlement.


	11. Ash Blooms

"The Null Side" (Chapter Eleven)

By Ennon

A/N-swspacecadet- I'm glad you like the twist of Darth Maul's son and hope you consider this chapter to be entertaining as the rest of the story! Your earlier constructive criticism was valid and you're cool with me!

Storyteller Person- Yeah, it's not always easy to store things up sleeves when keeping others on toes but I try! LOL

Miss Naye- Yeah, but there's MORE Whoa!'s ahead.

Raijan- Didn't say Sith weren't a danger but maybe they're not THE biggest threat to this galaxy. Hopefully, you'll get to read what I'm talking about soon and your confusion over that twist will be over.

CHAPTER BEGINS

"You're trying to make _peace_ with me, Jedi?" Darth Maul's son (via frozen embryo) Kha-tsel Sarin boiled as he swung his lightsabre towards Anakin who used the Force to unhinge the space cruiser door then swung it over via the Force to knock it out of the Sith's hand.

"No! But if we are to have a mortal duel, it's only fair we know WHY we're fighting!" Anakin insisted while Kha-tsel used the Dark Side to bodily pick up Anakin and throw him towards the cruiser's side but Anakin clenched his teeth was able to stop his body before it impacted.

"I likely have at least twenty times your midichorian levels now,Sith!" Anakin fumed.

"And I can use ALL of them against _you_!" Kha-tsel taunted.

"Trying to make me give into my anger? You've only heard about Sith tactics from a droid but I lived them for over twenty years," Anakin sneered while pointing to himself.

"But all those centuries of New Jedi-do-good rot has made you forget and go _soft_!" Kha-tsel laughed.

"Oh, you don't want to know how **tough** I've become with the Light Side and I've forgotten nothing!"Anakin fumed.

"There IS no Light Side- as far as I'm concerned!" Kha-tsel boiled as he started to throw Force Lightning towards Anakin.

Immediately, Anakin put his hands above his head and created a large sphere surrounding himself and Miruba that caused the Force Lightning to bounce off..

"A Jedi Bubble?" Kha-tsel sneered.

"Actually, our Order calls it a Skywalker Sphere. My True Master first conceived it ten years after Endor to protect New Jedi while giving any future Siths a chance to reconsider," Anakin explained while Miruba was in aweas Kha-tsel's Force Lightning bounced all around it.

"HAH! You'll have to breathe new air eventually," Kha-tsel taunted

"Even Palpatine himself couldn't sustain Force Lightning for more than two minutes at a time but we can last _all day_ inside!" Anakin declared as he folded his arms and crossed his ankles while several charges of Sith Lightning started to bounce close to Kha-tsel's own physique off the Skywalker Sphere.

"ARGHH! This is too boring!"Kha-tsel fumed.

" That's because New Jedis have more fun! I feel _younger_ at 759 as one than I did at 23 as a Sith!" Anakin laughed then did a standing full backflip.

At once, Ruwee and several other Wookiees emerged from the forest along with Artoo and surrounded them.

"Don't think you've defeated me, Jedi! Not while I have this hostage!" Kha-tsel snarled while abruptly stopping his Sith Lightning then grabbing New Republic Senator Jorkal Dervuek by the shoulder with his right hand and putting his lightsabre next to Jorkal's neck with his left

"Help! Save me!"Jorkal pleaded.

"Tell your Wookiee and New Jedi brethren to back off or he gets it!"Kha-tsel exclaimed.

"Let the Senator go! NOW!" Anakin exclaimed-as he sent his own charge of Force Lightning towards Kha-tsel.

"OWW! That stings!" whined Jorkal.

"It was a mere spark compared what I _can_ do!" Anakin declared.

"BAH! You can have this planet and the female! We're leaving!" Kha-tsel insisted as he did a Force choke to one Ruwee's and Anakin's non-Jedi Wookiee friends.

"Chorbrect!" Anakin and the others exclaimed as the red maned Wookiee was knocked out cold- and during those precious seconds, Kha-tsel took advantage of everyone's alarm,grabbed Jorkal , ran inside the cruiser and took off.

Anakin growled and grunted a bit.

Chorbrect took a gasp and barked back.

"What's he saying?" Miruba asked.

"He's okay but we must do all we can to find Kha-tsel before he harms anyone else," Anakin sighed as he and Ruwee hugged Chorbrect

"And Jorkal,too," Miruba gulped.

"We need to at least find his whereabouts soon but I don't think Kha-tsel will harm him anytime soon," Anakin sighed as he put his arms around Miruba.

"Are you sure?" Miruba asked as she hugged him back.

"Kha-tsel's a Sith and Siths crave power. Right now, keeping the New Republic Senator alive's the only power he has. We'll have to give chase," Anakin declared as he put his lightsabre back in its sheath.

"Chase? But how do we leave. .?" Miruba gulped.

Artoo beeped a bit.

"Great work, Old Friend! The Falcon's ready for us as soon as we reach it!" Anakin exclaimed as the four of them ran towards the cave behind Ruwee's Workshop.

"You've hidden the Millenium Falcon here? This belongs in a museum! It's centuries old. ." Miruba gulped as the garage door opened to reveal Han Solo's ship which had been kept in immaculate shape.

"That makes four of us here! But we're still good for the go!" Anakin laughed as he, Ruwee and Miruba ran inside with Artoo and got into the cockpit to fire up the engines.

"So how did you get this?"Miruba asked as she sat down in a passenger seat.

"This was my son-in-law General Han Solo's pride and joy and he left it to my daughter Leia and their children. They kept it until . ..my daughter's death," Anakin sighed as the strapped themselves in the seats.

"You miss her. Don't you," Miruba sighed as she put her arms around him.

"Yes,indeed! After my revival and I trainedLeia in the Force, not only did she accept my remorse for Alderaan, we became close. Her surviving children, though, considered the Falcon too junky for their regal fleet so they were relieved for me to take it off their hands- in spite of its historical importance!" Anakin wryly recalled as he fired the engines.

"Why aren't you with your family instead of the Wookiees? Don't you love them?" Miruba asked.

"Of course I do and I've done my best to protect them over the centuries but after the last surviving descendent of the last surviving descendent who could remember My True Master, Savior and Son Luke went to the nether world, the bonds with them have been more distant," Anakin sadly admitted while the Falcon zoomed through the open cave garage door.

"Is it because they're not strong in the Force?" Miruba asked.

"No. Although, with each new generation the number of Force wielders becomes fewer and their powers are less than even their immediate ancestral wielders. In My Angels and my first three generations of progeny, all of them were Force wielders. Now it's less than five percent but it's still a higher average than other families!"Anakin calculated as they left Kashyyyk's atmosphere.

"Where are we going?" Miruba asked.

"Yavin Four! I've already made a Force Link with the Master Grogan on Yavin Four and communicated with him about Kha-tsel Sarin but we need to alert the entire New Jedi Council immediately," Anakin gulped.

"Do you have a feel where Kha-tsel may have gone?" the 40ish female Twi'-ilek New Jedi Dame Oolong Yuoong asked in the Yavin Council- the next day.

"I can't feel him in this Galaxy anywhere but he's not dead," Anakin admitted.

"Well, we need to send you to Coruscant straight away! The Senate Hive's quite agitated with how you and Ruwee let him kidnap one of their own," the Sand Person Jedi Master Grogan insisted after they reached Yavin Four.

"It's not their fault! He and Ruwee were distracted while Kha-tsel used a Force choke on one of their Wookiee friends! They needed to make sure he was okay," Miruba pleaded.

"Well, it can't hurt for you to vouch to them for the Ageless One," New Jedi Dame Oolong Youleng (a Twi'ilek female in her 60's)sighed.

"I can speak the truth for myself, thank you. Miruba should stay here," Anakin sighed.

"Ani, I don't need special protection. I'd rather be with you!" Miruba exclaimed.

" Then it's settled," New Jedi Master Grogan insisted.

"Has Coruscant changed in 700 years?" Miruba asked as they landed the Falcon to the nearest space dock to the Senate Hive the next day.

"Buildings are different but just as congested as ever- andnot just the Hive," Anakin sighed.

"You think they'll listen to us?" Miruba asked.

"They have no choice. Only the New Jedi can keep the Sith at bay. They're insane if they think their armaments will be an impediment," Anakin insisted- as left the space dock and got onboard a city tram.

"The Sith must be stopped. If the New Jedi let this happen to one of our Senators, how safe can ANY New Republic citizen be?" asked the Corellian Senator Miles Ulcot(in mid 50's) in the Senate Hive.

"Our citizens are as safe with New Jedi as they possibly could be!" Anakin fumed- as the spotlight glared towards him and his words were translated into hundreds of languages for the Hive's benefit while a microdroid zoomed forward and clipped a hair from Anakin's head.

"The Floor recognizes the Guest Speaker as a New Jedi which his hair DNA confirms is one Anakin Skywalker aged 759 years of Tatooine also known as the Chosen One, Dark Lord, Galaxy Liberator, New Jedi Strong Arm and Ageless One," the mechanical droid intoned before many gasps and oohs were made towards this tall, athletic blond man who appeared to be no older than his early 20's.

"Of course, you'd let that Sith kidnap Senator Dervuek considering you were one of them for 23 years,"the Toydarian Senator Betto Xorek (mid 40's) sneered in Toydarian that was translated into Basic,etc.

"Know that I've been a New Jedi without pause for 714 years. Only the Old Jedi Master Yoda had a longer record of service!" Anakin boiled.

"But must we each have New Jedi bodyguards from this point on?" asked the Hutt Senator Blabba(while the Huttese was automatically translated into Basic and hundreds of other language).

"Anakin and the other New Jedi did their best on Kashyyyk but they couldn't let their friend's life be sacriced for the Senator's person," Miruba exclaimed.

"Are you saying that a Wookiee's life is more important than a Senator's?" Senator Betto sneered.

" _Every_ sentient being is important to the Force. I suggest the Senate consult My True Master Luke's holovids on the subject as well as those of My Old Jedi Master Qui-Gonn," Anakin exclaimed.

"In that case, you should have no objections if we create another security measure against the Sith!" exclaimed Senator Jorkal Dervuek as he abruptly burst into the Senate Hive.

"Thank the Force you're intact!" Anakin sincerely exclaimed.

"Jorkal, I thought you were done for with Kha-tsel," Miruba gulped.

For the next ten minutes Jorkal told a harrowing tale of how he managed to wait until Kha-tsel used the refresher to make his escape.

"This isn't the time for reunions. I barely escaped with my life. The New Jedi proved to be no help so I propose we arm the Galaxy with Sith Detector and Detonator Probes,"Jorkal exclaimed- as he presented a large holochart complete with dimensions and costs.

"It seems rather redundant. Do you have any idea how many galactic orphans could be educated and elderly could be cared for with those monies?" Anakin gulped.

"Afraid of losing support, eh?" Jorkal sneered.

"The New Jedi have been completely self-sufficient since Our Founder re-established it in the Year 4 AY!" Anakin protested.

"Why are you really against these detectors? I thought you had no more ties to the Sith!" Hutt Senator Blabba sneered in Huttese automatically translated.

"And I thought you had no more ties to _slavery_ but I had to free a cluster from your very home planet not ten years ago!" Anakin protested.

"How DARE you question our authority, New Jedi!" Hutt Senator Blabba boiled in automatically translated Huttese.

"This bickering is disruptive. We need to take a vote on the Sith Detectors!" Senator Miles Ulcot exclaimed.

"You must vote with the Light Side not let your fears obscure the truth!" Anakin pleaded.

"Why are you so upset over them voting for the Detectors, Anakin? " Miruba asked as she hugged him- a few hours later.

"I just can't shake that feeling that they were terribly duped the way the Old Senate was with Palpatine," Anakin boiled as he stomped his foot while theywalkedwith the rest of the crowd through Coruscant's upper terraced causeways to their destination.

" You yourself said you thought Jorkal is a moron," Miruba sighed while Anakin hugged her back.

"I still believe so but I can't help but think he may be the tool of others who could pose a threat but he's too stupidly ambitious to realize that," Anakin fumed.

"But you heard about his harrowing escape from Kha-tsel and. ." Miruba gulped.

"Out of the thousands of New Jedi he could have hired, why would he have instead hired a Sith to be a . .bodyguard?" Anakin sputtered.

"He didn't know Kha-tsel was one. It's been hundreds of years since Darth Kinder made the Siths' last appearance," Miruba reasoned.

"But Kha-tsel deliberately made himself look as scary and evil as possible the same way his father Darth Maul did. Only in the seediest Coruscant alleys and Outer Rim cantinas would either have fit in without alarm," Anakin boiled.

"I admit that Jorkal doesn't have the best sense of judgment,"Miruba pondered.

"And he's a bit flabby and out of shape! I don't see how he could have escaped a Sith alive unless. …" Anakin sighed.

"You think he staged the kidnapping?" Miruba asked aghast.

"I wouldn't put it past him. I can remember Palpatine staging his own and an entire WAR just to draw me in," Anakin boiled.

"How can you be sure?Jorkal seemed so scared and panicky!" Miruba gasped.

"Everything I sense about Jorkal tells me he's as trustworthy as a Coruscant Eel Opera Aficionado," Anakin scoffed.

"You mean like 'The Emperor's New Eel Opera'? " Miruba asked.

"That tale's still around?" Anakin asked.

"It used to be one of my favorite childhood holovids," Miruba exclaimed.

"My grandson Prince Anakin Organa-Solo of New Alderaan and Naboo whom we called Kino composed that when he was five after we saw some Mon Calamari eels swimming in their own habitat- and his older sister Princess Shmi illustrated it!" Anakin fondly recalled.

"I remember reading it and wondering why anyone would think those were entertaining or worth dressing up for," Miruba laughed.

"It was something for jaded and bored phonies in the last days of the Old Republic and the Imperial Gap to do to be seen and make connections. Everyone just clapped at intervals and pretended to 'get' it for appearances sake," Anakin recalled.

"Did you ever attend those?" Miruba asked.

"Only once-where I eagerly bought the most preposterous of lies," Anakin sighed.

"I'm sorry,"Miruba sighed

"Vader's suit's appearance was too intimidating for me to be seen publically on unofficial business . Thus, Palpatine declared I never was to attend those operas again- one of the very few benefits of looking so threatening,"Anakin said with an eye roll.

"You said your grandson composed the story. ." Miruba started to say.

" I told Kino about that time," Anakin started to say.

"You two were close, eh?" Miruba asked as they clutched each other's hands.

"From the time he learned to speak, he and I could talk about anything like his Nana and Uncle Luke did with me,too. "Anakin recalled.

"How did he react whenyou told him about those Coruscant eel operas,"Miruba concluded.

"He burst out laughing when I described it and the audience's reactions. He couldn't believe their popularity either so he created the fictional story in which the Emperor gave another tedious eel opera . However, in Kino's story, a young Jedi Padawan openly called it for the hollow bore it was and the truth of it was enough to expose the Emperor for what he was and took away all the Emperor's power!" Anakin beamed as they came to their destination.

"If only life were that simple," Miruba sighed.

"But it somewhat is- if we're not afraid to use the power of truth. Fear of the truth is what brings in and keeps the corrupt in power," Anakin exclaimed.

"So that's why you think they didn't vote against Jorkal. They didn't want to have to consider that he was duping them," Miruba sighed.

"I think that's quite likely. Did you notice that he barely reacted when you told him that your betrothal was off? I think he has something far more seductive than your charms enticing him," Anakin groaned.

"What are you going to do?" Miruba asked.

"The New Jedi Council has ruled that we cannot interfere with the probe dispersal but I'm not going to idly sit by and avoid the actual truth," Anakin declared as he hugged her

"Are you going to avoid your own feelings towards me?" Miruba asked.

"No, I love you and want to marry you if you'll have me," Anakin declared with a firm voice as he got on one knee and knelt down in front of a 30 meter tall statue of the New Jedi Founder Luke Skywalker holding his lightsabre aloft with both hands in one of the very few open spaces in the Government Center- the New Jedi Park and Greenery..

"Of course. I love you! If you can be faithful to Padmé and even her memory for over 700 years, I'm secure enough to think you can be to me,too- no matter how old I get! " Miruba proclaimed.

"I'm not going to provide for you with riches like Jorkal could have but I will make sure you and our offspring are taken care of. I want to enjoy whatever time the Force grants us with each other! That's all I want!" Anakin declared as he took Miruba's hand and kissed it while the two of them hugged.

"You think that your late son, daughter and wife would have approved of me?" Miruba half-laughed as she looked at Luke's friendly face in stone looming above her.

"They know they'll always have firm places in my heart but My Angel taught me to love and she'd love you,too, because you're a good soul!" Anakin declared as he kissed Miruba on the hand then the lips before the two hugged.

Over the next six months millions of Sith probe droids were dispatched to every inhabited system in the galaxy while Anakin took his fiancée Miruba to introduce her to all his New Jedi and Wookiee friends and his far flung family of descendents with total acceptance from the Wookiees but a somewhat mixed reaction from his many descendents whileAnakin himself met her own father and got in a few laughs as the 57-year-old kept treating him as though he was a generation younger instead of over seven centuries his senior! Despite this awkward start, Anakin and Miruba did receive her father's reluctant blessing.

"And so Ruwee will be my Best Man while Grogan performs the ceremony here next month!" Anakin declared then he did a backflip holding Miruba to him inside Yavin's Celebration Temple.

"Oh, it's so wonderful and I can't wait until we honeymoon in Naboo!"Miruba beamed as their feet touched solid ground again.

"Excuse me, Jedi Anakin.. Miss Miruba," sputtered a 6-year-old New Jedi Prodigy Dame Kaminoan named Vlenoba.

"You seem afraid, Child. What's wrong?" Anakin asked as he and Miruba knelt down to Vlenoba's level.

" I . . can't feel my parents on Kamino," Vlenoba gulped.

" I know you miss them while you train but you'll see them Independence Day on the 18th, " Anakin consoled as he patted her on the head.

"But I can usually feel them and I feel . ..nothing,"Vlenoba cried.

"I'm sure they're okay," Miruba consoled.

"My Flower, the child does have a 15 thousand midichlorian count and I don't think we should take her concerns lightly," Anakin sighed.

"I know what you say about how fear is our enemy and truth is our ally but I'm sc. .." Vlenoba sniffed.

"Don't worry, Child! As long as you're with us, we'll do our best to make sure nothing happens to you or the other Progeny!" Anakin declared while he and Miruba hugged her and patted her on the back.

"Master Grogan, Kamino is virtually our furthest spiral from the Galactic Core. I think the child might be onto a threat," Anakin sighed an hour later.

"Don't worry. I'm not taking this lightly. Have you felt Kha-tsel at all?" Grogan asked.

"No but I somehow don't consider he's dead," Anakin exhaled.

Ruwee growled a bit and Anakin barked back.

"Anakin, I think you might do well not to consider Kha-tsel the enemy," Ruwee pleaded (though Grogan and the others only heard growling).

"But he's a Sith and he cut off my left foot!" Anakin boiled (in Wookiee) while holding up his left foot.

"But you were able to grow it back in no time!"Ruwee exclaimed (in Wookiee).

"That's not the point," Anakin sputtered(in Wookiee).

"Remember how you always say you prefer Wookiees over many humans for our ability to never forget kindnesses being as strong as our ability to forgive those who are truly remorseful?" Ruwee barked (in Wookie).

"Yes, and I appreciate how Our Brethren are having a Kinship Ceremony for Miruba and I-after we wed!" Anakin declared while hugging Ruwee.

"She's so much like Our Padmé from what I've always heard. My family is grateful how Our Padmé put an end to Life Debts and supplanted it with Kinship Rites for those we favor and for all she risked to helpour peopleand provide for us during the Imperial Gap," Ruwee declared (in Wookiee).

"I still don't trust Kha-tsel," Anakin sighed.

"Nor should you now but maybe in time he will change for the better as _you_ did! You always said so much of your oppressive rage as Vader came from having no family and how much of your revival as Anakin Skywalker came from having one again," Ruwee insisted (in Wookiee).

"Very well, Old Friend. I'll keep that in mind. Is your great-grandson Kitster climbing yet?" Anakin asked (in Wookiee).

"Yes, but I think we need to focus on whatever threat Vlenoba may perceive," Ruwee declared (in Wookiee).

"Thank you, Jedi Ruwee. Let's at least check the holovid to see how Kamino is," Grogan insisted.

"I've pressed the code for the Kamino Information Center three times but I'm not receiving anything," Anakin gulped.

"It is quite far out. Perhaps their data system has gone out. I'll send some of our New Jedi to investigate," Grogan declared.

A month later. ..

"Oh, I'm feeling terrible pain from so many but then. .nothing," Anakin gulped.

"And you're saying this is coming from Coruscant! " Jedi Dame Oolong asked in the New Jedi Training Temple .

"Yes, just like all the others. Naboo, New Alderaan, Tatooine, Bespin, Kashyyyk and countless other worlds. They haven't all left this world for the nether world but they're no longer . ..with us either," Anakin gulped.

"Ageless One, I know you want to go out to investigate but we need you here to help protect Yavin from whatever's been decimating the rest of the New Republic," Jedi Dame Oolong pleaded.

"I can't sense any of my own FAMILY," Anakin said in alarm.

"None of us can," Master Grogan groaned.

"And none of the holovids are picking up any communication from other systems," Ruwee barked(in Wookiee).

"And we've checked them many times but they're fully functional. Would it that Jorkal had insisted on the budget not be depleted on those useless Sith Detectors!" Anakin boiled.

"Calm down, Ageless One," Master Grogan pleaded.

" Ani, what do you think has happened to the other systems and all the New Jedi that have been sent out?" Miruba gulped.

" The same as everyone else outside Yavin I've known who I had a Force link to- great pain then in a few cases, death but in most cases. . nothing," Anakin shuddered.

"Artoo, what is it?" the 6-year-old Kaminoan New Jedi Prodigy Dame Vlenoba asked as Artoo came into the Temple in alarm.

"He says that an astonishing fleet of enormous sized ships of Quechu-Mong origin can be detected coming out of hyperspace just on the other side of the gas giant!" Ruwee barked (in Wookiee- for Wookiees and Artoo had all learned to understand each other over the centuries).

"What?" Vlenoba asked.

"Quechu-Mong! Our Kino!" Anakin gasped and sank to his knees.

"Pops! Please tell Dad I know he was just upset about Chewbacca and didn't mean those things and that I love him!"Anakin recalled the Force Ghost of 17-year-old Prince Anakin Organa-Solodeclared as soon as he left the mortal realm in 26AY.

"Please Kino! We need you here!" Anakin pleaded as he burst into tears.

"You, Uncle Luke, Aunt Mara and Bail can only battle them so much and you're needed here! " the Force Ghost of Kino insisted.

"Kino, I love you!" Anakin sobbed.

"I love you Nana and Mom,too! That's why I've taken the Quechu-Mong out at the cost of my own life to keep everyone else in the New Republic free of them and I'm free,too!" the Force Ghost Kino beamed as he faded away.

"KINO!" Anakin screamed as he sobbed fresh tears for his favorite grandchild that time in Yavin in 718AY.

"Please, Anakin! We need your help!" Miruba begged as she hugged him.

"You're right! As My Angel's and My Leia said after Alderaan 'We have no time for our sorrows now!' We must use this time to resist whatever those Quechu-Mong have in mind for us! " Anakin swallowed hard.

"But they're from another galaxy. The Force doesn't work on them," Master Grogan sputtered.

"Maybe not but if we are to survive. We can't surrender. To give in is a Sith Way. Resistance is the Jedi way!" Anakin declared.

Suddenly, Quechu-Mong vessels filled the entire night sky of Yavin Four.

"Inhabitants of Yavin, you will become our SLAVES With No Memories as has the REST of the Coruscant Galaxy or you will be DESTROYED!" an ear shattering loudspeaker declared as smaller vessels flew from the planet-sized mother ship.

Anakin immediate fired on them but soon they Quechu-Mong ships sent shock waves that caused the Temple Complex start crumbling.

"NO! My True Master's Statue! You can't DO that!" Anakin screamed as he witnessed the destruction of Luke's 100 meter tall statue that he himself had lobbied for for two centuries after Luke's mortal death.

"What are to do?" yelled the New Jedi Progenies, Padawans and other New Jedi as they looked to Anakin for guidance.

"We must resist! We can't let 45,000 years of galactic civilizations be wiped out! We must resist so we can rebuild!" Anakin declared as he swallowed hard.

Suddenly the Museum Temple started to crumble from the shock beams.

"No, My Angel's alabaster statue and all her gowns are in there! She embodied everything good about. .." Anakin gulped as he could see via the Force them being destroyed before he realized that's WHY her statue was targeted by the intergalactic marauders.

"Please, Ani! Calm down! We can rebuild!" Miruba pleaded.

"We may be just one planet left but we're not out!" Anakin declared as he shook his fist towards the gigantic ships.

"We can hide in the jungle!" Ruwee insisted (in Wookiee).

"We may not have buildings but we New Jedi will have each other to rebuild! We must not let fear rule us! We're strong!" Anakin declared as virtually the entire ancient Temple complex was reduced to rubble before everyone's shocked eyes as they ran into the jungle.

Suddenly another high pitched sound was heard by all from inside their heads.

"Let this wave erase your memories so you can be our slaves or this wave will DESTROY you!" the enormous loudspeakers declared.

"Resist!" Anakin pleaded.

Suddenly, Ruwee's head exploded sending his blood, skull, brains, teeth and hair in all directions.

"Ruwee!" Anakin screamed at the sight of seeing (literally) his oldest friend, Wookiee kinsman and New Jedi brethren loose his life this way.

"Ani, I'm sorry. I can't let go of the wonderful time I had with you and the memor. ." Miruba cried before HER head exploded.

"NO!" Anakin sobbed.

All around him other New Jedis quit resisting and he could see that all traces of their identities were erased while the monstrous Mongs (who looked like scarier versions of Jabba's palace guards with grey thorny skin) were rounding them up and flying them into the enormous planet-sized mother ship . Still others were resisting but losing their lives by having their heads explode from their bodies but the number of resisters grew smaller and smaller.

At once, one of the smaller vessals opened up and there appeared the Bespin New Republic Senator Jorkal Dervuek with a large transparent helmet over his head.

"Hello, Chosen One, Galaxy Liberator, New Jedi Strong Arm, Ageless One and, soon, Eternal Slave of the Quechu-Mong!" Jorkal chortled.

In spite of the agonizing pain Anakin felt around him, he ran up the ramp to try to knock Jorkal down.

"You can't do that! My friends won't like that! " Jorkal sneered as several armed Mongs drew their weapons and surrounded Jorkal by a force field.

"Friends! What do you know about friends? How could you let these creatures do that to our galaxy! Traitor! Sith-Lover!" Anakin boiled as he spat.

"Come now! You were the same to the Old Republic and you had powers! I always admired that about you but I didn't have any powers until I happened to get stranded among outer rim of the Quechu-Mong's galaxy and they told me how I could GET some," Jorkal sneered as he tapped his helmet.

"So Sith Detectors placed across the galaxy were actually Quechu-Mong probes to erase our memories to ENSLAVE us!That helmet keeps you immune to those rays!" Anakin boiled.

"You catch on fast! I only asked that they leave THIS moon for last so I could confront you myself with no one else around while I got to see you be the LAST sentient being in the galaxy with a memory intact!" Jorkal chortled.

"Miruba's dead! She had so **much** to give!" Anakin sobbed as he hugged her bloody headless corpse to him.

"Pity. She'd have made a good slave for me but with your fantastic strength and immortality, I think you could serve me well for a long time!" Jorkal taunted while sneering at his former betrothed's remains.

"Never! I'd rather _die_ than do that! " Anakin boiled.

"Since the Mong are from another galaxy, it won't be that hard to do since the Force doesn't work with them but you'll die knowing that I get to reap the bounty of all those quadrillions of Coruscant Galactic slaves!"Jorkal chortaled.

Suddenly, one of the Mong guards ripped the transparent helmet from Jorkal's head.

"What! But I gave you this galaxy," Jorkal sputtered.

"We have no more need of you and you HAVE witnessed this creature be the last sentient being with a memory intact!" one of Mong guards growled in both Quechu-Mong and Coruscantic Basic.

"NO!" Jorkal screamed before his mind went blank and he was herded into the slave holding pen with no resistance whatsoever.

Anakin knew he was alone (and ALL alone in the entire galaxy) but he ran as best he could) while he was being chased and holding his head together.

"Father, you must remember your ability as a Sith to give in and surrender your memory . It's the only way you can possibly survive! We're all counting on you!" Anakin heard the Force Ghost of Luke Skywalker plead inside Anakin's head.

Anakin found Artoo and lifted a large fallen arch keystone weighing several hundred kilos.

"Artoo, forgive what I have to do, Old Friend but there's no place for you in this empty galaxy and I may need you one day!" Anakin sobbed as he dropped his blue Jedi lightsabre (he'd had constantly had 714 years) and Padmé's japor snippet that he'd constantly worn around his neck some 664 years since her mortal death inside Artoo's hidden compartment before setting the stone down.

"OK, I'll surrender! But I LOVE PADMÉ!"Anakin screamed and clutched his head before he let the numbness take over and then . . ..

His first9 years he'd been simply Anakin Skywalker the human slave on Tatooine who everyone knew had some untapped abilility. Then from age9 to 22, he was a Padawan then Jedi while proclaimed to be the Chosen One and doing good works for them. Then from ages 22 to 45, he was the Sith called Darth Vader who channeled his anger over the loss of his beloved Padmé his limbs and his free breathing on countless innocents while serving the most evil being in the Galaxy- Palpatine. Then from age 45 onwards, the New Jedi Anakin Skywalker had been reclaimed by his son Luke with the great gifts of his beloved Padmé being restored along with his limbs, youth and strength restored and had been his son's and the New Jedi's most ardent follower and ally- even after Padmé and the rest of his original family died natural deaths of old age while Anakin remained in body 22 years of age with nothing to stop that over the centuries. Now, at age 759 with this perpetually 22 year old body,he was a mere vessel with no voice or memory whatsoever of who he'd been or who'd he'd loved- as were countless others on heading towards the Quechu-Mong Galaxy as its slaves. Had any unfortunate intergalactic voyager come across the Coruscant Galaxy during this time , they would have seen nothing but piles of rubble on every planet in every formerly inhabited system with not a single sentient being to be found to explain what the rubble pieces had originally been.

Yet, there was something besides his bodily immortality that still that separated the one who had once been called Anakin Skywalker from the others who shared his fate of being a mindless slave for the Quechu-Mong.. .

P.S. Yeah, I know this chap's has a downer end but this isn't the last chapter. There IS more to come!


	12. Mask for Good Cause

' Tabula Rasa' (Chapter Twelve)

By Ennon

A/N- OK, I'm sorry about all the sad and depressing stuff in the last chap but I beg my loyal readers to hang on through this one (at least) and I welcome any newcomers willing to give this a chance. Here's some individual responses to the most recent reviewers:

Raijan(#11)- Yep, Anakin's existence as per the end of Chap. #11 is quite hideous at that (and this is the 2nd time you've used a diety's name to express your shock and angst). I'm not saying how now but do you really think I'd have gone to the trouble of writing 11 chapters if I'd wanted Anakin to end up like that PERMANENTLY?

Swspacecadet(#4)- Yes, I apologize for the losses there and the sadness but this often happens when innocents are attacked. You've been a good, loyal reader (and reviewer ) and I appreciate you going through these emotions for the story's sake!

Huzah (#3)- Thanks for not thinking this is lame.Truly. I've _already_ read the Star Wars novelizations and this **is **the feel I've gotten for the storylines and reactions, thank you. As I said to the reader you agreed with, we each can decide for ourselves how we interpret the characters and (I've done my best to characterize them and their speech patterns as close as possible to what I think they'd do in these situations). Apart from the Kamino comeback pool scene with Han, I think I had Anakin BE serious here overall. Sorry, if Anakin reacting to having his armor removed, having Han **really** dis him, getting new limbs, confronting how badly Palpatine used him, apologizing to his late mother for his actions as Vader wasn't showing Anakin being serious enough for you but I did what I thought was my best here! I'll be nice and not consider your belief that this feels like 'a children's movie or sitcom' to be a put-down. BTW, have you read some of the Rated K stuff in this fanfic category? I think some of them are FAR more like sitcoms or children's movies! Well, glad you're not insulting my story and think it's cute so I hope you can stand the chaps after this one but if not, there are plenty of majorly depressing and dark fics on this site you might prefer!

WTF(#11)- That stands for 'What Terrific Fanfiction', right? LOL. Yeah, heads exploding are rather graphic but that sort of thing DOES happen when innocents are attacked in war and/or by marauders (e.g. read the descriptions of what happens to fallen in the Battle of Armageddon in the Book of Revelations- it's not pretty). Slaughter of innocents is horrible but something we must contend with as reality to deal with to try to minimize if not end! I'm sorry you didn't like that but if you want to hang on, I hope you like the future chaps.

Madame Opera Ghost (#4)- THANK YOU for loving this story and considering it the best. Believe me, it felt FANTASTIC to read your kind words! I hope you like the rest of this fanfic!

CHAPTER BEGINS

In the year 718AY, the Mong marauders (who appeared to look similar to Jabba's warhog guards but with grey skin and dozens of small spiky horns on their heads) had taken the quadrillions of sentient beings from the Corcuscant Galaxy back to their own Quechu-Mong Galaxy 3 million light years (and 1 month via hyperspace) away-having rendered them to be slaves without memories or voices. The Coruscant Galaxy was left completely void of sentient beings with the last stragglers and hiders routed out in a mere five years. Among these tragic groups was the one who had once been known as Anakin Skywalker but was now merely known as N7- the last two digits of a 14-digit combination of Quechu letters and numbers that every single man, woman and child human slave had had lasered onto their shaven scalps upon being captured.

N7's first memory was of being shaven and he thought he remembered that during that earliest memory it wasn't mere stubble but neck-length hair that had tumbled from the sheers that first time. However; every time he tried to remember, he'd get excruciating headaches that rendered him violently nauseated and he'd lose the tasteless but nourishing meal the commissary had fed him before and after his dozens of hours of quarry work. N7 and the others slept out in the open in all climes and temperatures directly on the broken, jagged rocks they had mined for the few hours their captors grudgingly allowed them at the end of the workday- the entire time having to listen to the tedious sounds of more stones being broken by other slaves. Every single day fit this pattern without the slightest variation-unless the captors decided to transfer slaves to other planets. Then, their neck collars would be bolted to the ships' hold walls and they'd be forced to stand upright the entire time until they'd reach the intended destinations. N7 couldn't speak nor could any of the other Coruscant Galactic slaves (derisively called 'Scants' by the Mong) but he was quickly able to learn not just the commands the Mongs expected the Scants to learn if they were to exist another day- but also the rest of their vocabulary when they thought he and the other slaves were too busy and/or stupid to listen. N7 was careful not to pause in his rock smashing or even look in their directions while the Mongs talked but something told him that he was meant for better things than being a slave. What these might be. .and even if there was any kind of existence for him outside the Quechu-Mong quarries was unclear to N7 but he wordlessly came to believe this.

Rov-Prawj, the local Mong breeder saw N7 hammering the large rock fragments into much smaller fragments than his fellow slaves and decided to talk with the foreman Vor-Bladj (in the Mong language which will be translated for the reader from this point on)

"His strength and stamina is quite astonishing!" Rov-Prawj gasped.

"Better than any other Scant human and even most Wookiee slaves we've used over the decades," Vor Bladj replied.

"And you say he's HOW old?" Rov-Prawj asked.

"He was a youngadult when he was brought from the Scant Galaxy. That's all we know," Vor Bladj shrugged.

"But other Scant human slaves who were adults and even younger appear far older and worn out than he. Are you sure that scan of him being fitted for the collar was taken 20 years ago?" Rov-Prawj asked.

"How many times do we have to go over this? All data indicates that he was brought from the Scant Galaxy immediately after the Invasion as a young adult male,"Vor Bladj groaned.

"So why are you reluctant to. ..?" Rov-Prawj asked.

"Look at how he braces the others when they stumble. He often carries the quotas of several others with his own," Vor Bladj sneered.

"That strength, endurance and extended youth could be helpful to the program," Rov-Prawj pleaded.

"But this quarry has others with strength and endurance you could use," Vor Bladj sighed.

"None close to N7's! And he's taken on no diseases or either I've been told," Rov-Prawj beamed.

"No but I think what you have in mind could cause problems," Vor Bladj groaned.

"Problems? These Scant slaves have proven to been more feeble than any others we've taken in centuries. Already their numbers are down by half! If we don't breed more like N7,our forcescould be compelled to invade another galaxy in as brief a time as another century," Rov-Prawj insisted.

"But I tell you, I've seen the looks N7 has given and they're as close to defiant as we can allow without termination," Vor Bladj countered while shaking his Obediance Rod.

"He does the work of quite many and has made no attempt to escape. What else can we want from future slaves?" Rov-Prawj asked.

"Very well, but be warned. I've heard him make guttural sounds after being beaten," Vor Bladj sighed.

"Gutteral sounds? I thought we'd wiped out memories of how to speak. Are you sure he's not just trying to mimic our commands?" Rov-Prawj asked.

"Perhaps. .. and since his welts heal almost instantly, that would likely help in his offspring's endurance as our slaves. You have a deal," Vor Bladj reluctantly pondered as he spat into Rov-Prawj's open mouth to finalize it.

"It's tough work dealing with these savages but the Quechus give us reward enough," Rov-Prawj sniffed.

" I hope N7 satisfies you as a chosen one," Vor Bladj grunted.

N7 was taken to another planet within the month where another quarry existed but this time, there was a difference. He and the other male human slaves were led to the commissary quarters where female slaves who had been selected for breeding had been chained to the floor.

Immediately, N7 started tugging at the chains of one of the females to break her free- only to be stunned into a frozen position.

"Awh. ..uhhh- ah- ay!" N7 snarled- even though an excruciatingly nauseating headache flared up at that moment.

"You are to BREED with this female and consent on either of your parts is irrelevant," Rov-Prawj commanded.

N7 sniffed through his nostrils a bit and then looked back to him.

"Awh.. . uhhh- ah- ay!"N7 snarled again while clutching his head.

"Just DO it! We can tell you're willing and able and she won't survive the day unless she's impregnated by you!" Rov-Prawj sneered as he pointed to the shaven-headed human slave woman called B9 who was about 19 years of age (and had been born as a slave).

B9 raised her right hand and nodded while grunting her consent.

N7 groaned again but then somehow could hear the sound of a woman's loving laughter and could smell the vague scent of roses. Laughter and flowers were something completely alien to everyone in the Quechu-Mong Galaxy but N7 somehow could hear and smell these things- even though the shaven-headed slave woman he was slated to mate with had neither characteristic about her. The pain of these odd emotions were almost as horrific as those excruciating headaches when he felt as though there may have been a life before . . .

Still, he clutched his head and used that scent and the laughter of unknown origin to inspire him to be as tender as possible while he did the deed the Mong breeder had ordered them to do. Consent of any kind for any slave wasn't even the remotest possibility but N7 decided right then and there that he was going to make the task as pleasant as possible for the females he was slated to be with between the time in the quarry.

Every time he was to mate the sound of that loving laughter of unknown origin and the scent of roses increased while the intensity of the headaches decreased. Then came the day when B9 (the first female he'd mated with) gave birth. She cried guttural sounds in pain and he somehow could sense it even though he was nowhere near where the sound should be- and was in a sound sleep. Thankfully, the quarry masters were too busy breaking up a fight between two other slaves to notice N7 was missing from his spot on the quarry ground where he'd been ordered to sleep- and he made pulled apart the metal fence to reach the commissary where B9 was on the ground giving birth and he wordlessly held her hand then bit off their healthy newborn son's umbilical chord as he was born into slavery. The brown-haired baby boy had his own barcoded numbers (. .. ..V3)tattooed on his scalp almost immediately but the others noticed how N7 eagerly spent as much time hanging around the slave cribbery to try to wordlessly play with his newborn son. Somehow, he felt this was a wonderful opportunity that he'd missed when. ..

Impossible but why was he now seeing shining and enticing, brown, deep amber colored eyes whenever he was with B9 and the others selected for him to breed-along with hearing the loving laughter and smelling the scent of roses? It wasn't merely being with these female slaves that gave N7 pleasure but he alone out of all the male breeders seemed to understand his biological link to the babies they'd bear- and, even though neither he nor the mothers were allowed to do more than hold the babies much less actually care for them, he finally felt that he now had a purpose in existence besides just pounding rocks into smaller ones, eating tasteless slop and sleeping.

Then, came the day, in which he was separated from B9 and their son V3 after they were sold to another quarry and he cried his guttural cry with more anguish than before- and several guards felt their necks rendered mysteriously tight. He sobbed himself to sleep that night but then something happened that hadn't happened before.

" I want you to know that I love you and am proud of you! Don't ever think you're efforts are futile but they can be used for a good purpose one day! I'll always think of those babies you've sired to be my own children's siblings!" the ghost of Padmé beamed to him while embracing him in the very first dream N7 ever had- and he noticed that the headache he now had was almost too small to even feel.

"Ahw- uh! Ah- MAY!" N7 heard himself say to her while crying tears of joy.

N7 would be moved from planet to planet for more decades to come and put to work in the quarries and in the breeding programs but he somehow was able to sense where all his offspring and progeny had gone to. .including those who had NOT been born of slaves? Impossible, he thought to himself. Still, he was always grateful whenever chance would happen that he'd somehow see them and their mothers again and somehow would feel proud when he'd hear them repeat after him his guttural . .

"Ahw-ah! Pah-MAY!" N7 would grunt- and the other slaves soon learned that N7, his slave progeny and their mothers could voice a large variety of moods, wishes and beliefs with that one phrase and he'd occasionally see the face of that breathtakingly beautiful woman with long brown hair (instead of slave stubble) who'd come to him in his dreams to give him encouragement.

N7 had been on the latest planet for what seemed at least 15 years while working side-by-side with several of his sons and grandsons ranging in age from four to 45 years of age. It frustrated N7's breeders to no end that none of N7's sons or daughters inherited his same phenomenal endurance or agelessness but they were strong enough for the slavers to scatter to different planets.

This planet seemed to be covered with more rocks than the others had been with barely a break in sight. Some loose vines and weeds sprouted up between the rocks but there wasn't any real space where the rocks didn't exist. Still, N7 did what he was ordered but couldn't help but notice many of these rocks had odd patterns and designs on them that seemed impossible for nature to have made. In his 72 years of existence, N7 had seen a few of these types of rocks on different planets but on this particular one, the rocks and metal veins seemed to totally overwhelm the surface- along with rocks that could been seen through. In some of the deeper quarry pits, N7 could see thousands of meters deep yet still not reach the true surface of this planet he and some of his progeny and their mothers had been placed upon. Needless to say, this rubble was often quite unstable as there were constant rockslides and avalanches of debris due to there being virtually nothing to hold these artificially placed rocks, metal veins and clear rocks together.

Yet, as odd as the rocks on this planet were to N7, there was something comforting about them for reasons N7 couldn't quite put together. He almost felt as though the place may have been familiar but he knew he hadn't been there before he'd been sent to smash, carry and clear rocks.

N7 and his crew were sent to the deepest level of one of the pits and almost as soon as they reached the base, some of the walls and scaffolding where the other quarry slaves were carrying debris started to crumble atop the head of N7 and the other slaves at the base of the pit-sending dozens of slaves ready to fall and . Without thinking, N7 willed that the walls and scaffolding be stabilized just by pointing his hand to those walls that were on the brink of collapse. Everyone grunted their astonishment (for none of the 'Scant slaves could verbalize their thoughts) but the Mong foreman insisted on everyone continuing to work and keep digging until they reached the last of the loose rocks .

The Mong foreman ordered several of N7's sons (and a Wookiee) to move the last loose rock from this base but they could not budge it.

" You stupid Scants are worthless!"the Mong foreman sneered and started to bring his Obedience stick down on the Wookiee.

At once, N7, pointed to the Obedience Stick and made it fly out the Mong's hand, past the sides of the quarry pit and into the open sky.

The Mong was about to comlink for backup when N7 physically pushed the last broken quarry stone onto the Mong to pin him against the quarry wall- and then felt something on the basalt surface- his OWN bare footprints embedded there that he had created many lifetimes before for slaves wore no footwear and N7 was lucky to be a breeder and given a breechcloth to protect the slavers' future investment.

Suddenly, N7 felt an intense wave almost overwhelm him as many wondrous and horrific sights and sounds of 759 years surged into him from the soles of his feet into his head.

"You carry all our hopes!" N7 suddenly remembered that beautiful brunette who'd guided him in his dreams exclaim.

"I LOVE PADMÉ!" N7 suddenly shouted aloud as he remembered her name and what she meant to him thenstraightened up his slumped posture while everyone else looked at him quite oddly.

"I know how strong you are! I know you can do this!" N7 remembered his. ..mother(!) Shmi exclaim.

At that N7 split apart the solid metal slave collar around his own neck with his bare hands and those of every other slave he could see in the quarry pit with the Force while he also used it to will his scalp stubble within mere seconds to grow his thick blond hair back s to the length of his neck that he'd always worn whenever possiblefor over 7 centuries-for that length was how Padmé had loved it most.

"YOU were the Chosen One! You were supposed to bring balance to the Force. NOT leave it in darkness!" N7 remembered a very angry yet very heartbroken bearded man named.. . . .OBI- WAN shout at him over a pit of lava.

"What am I supposed to do? What is my name?" N7 asked aloud-surprised at hearing the sound of his own voice again.

"You were once Anakin Skywalker, my father- the name of your true self. You have only forgotten!" N7. .no _Anakin_ suddenly remembered hearing from inside a horrible,suffocating cage the words of his firstborn son. .His True Master and Savior Luke Skywalker who'd saved him from that fate and had helped him return 782 years before to his real body, true strength, youth and. .. TRUE SELF!

"My Son and True Master! I'm on Coruscant. I'm a person not a slave and a New Jedi named Anakin Skywalker! I remember _everything_ now and it no longer hurts!" Anakin exclaimed- as he fell to his knees.

"You're almost there! Use the Force to read the words written on the First Jedi Temple Foundation next to your own footprints!" the Force Ghost of Luke Skywalker urged his father to do as he became visible with a blue aura.

"But New Jedi scholars tried to translate them for centuries after I found them but couldn't. ." Anakin gulped- recalling the 45,000 year old pictures sketched in rock he'd found after he disabled the Coruscant Doomsday Bomb Cable.

"It wasn't necessary before," Luke's Force Ghost explained.

" I understand . .and I know what the words say! Oh, Light Side, help me to re-awaken everyone else!" Anakin exclaimed with a gulp as he concentrated before he chanted the words he suddenly now understood.

"_The Force Lives In Us!"Anakin_ chanted in a rich baritone voice (in the exact pitch and inflections as a certain five-note tune that would, by some astounding co-incidence ,become famous in 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind').

"Come on, Light Side! Re-awaken everyone!" Anakin pleaded via the Light Side before he was ready to chant again.

"Patience, My Brother!" Obi-Wan's Force Ghost with a blue haze pleaded as he became visible to Anakin while Luke nodded.


	13. Rules of the Game

' Ash Blooms' (Chapter Thirteen)

By Ennon

A/N- swspacecadet- Thanks for liking my attempts at humoring the critics . Humor can help us be brave and thanks for appreciating the time and thought I've put into the writing. I know it may not seem like it to some but knowing where it ends isn't as much of a challenge as how to get there.

MadameOperaGhost- I hope you're not too upset over the cliffhanger (but I'm glad to see you read the eight chaps between your last review and this one (feel free to say what you want about any of them). Anyway, I'm ready to get started on the next chap so I hope the wait wasn't too long.

Miss Naye- Yeah, he WAS a slave again but how long he remains one will be demonstrated in this chapter.

CHAPTER BEGINS

Anakin stood at the base of the large quarry pit realizing that it was the rubble of the Coruscantic Capital Planet of Coruscant he'd been helping to break apart for his slavers, the Mong- but standing atop his very own embedded footprints in the altar of the very first Jedi Temple foundation caused him to remember what he'd been for 759 years before he and the other Coruscantic Galactic citizens had been taken away as slaves without memories 72 years before in the year.

"It's 786 AY! Obi-Wan help me get the Light Side to re-awaken my children, grandchildren and the other slaves here to who we REALLY are!" Anakin pleaded aloud.

" You have the capacity to retrigger that!" the Force Ghost of Obi-Wan (in his blue haze) exclaimed.

"_The Force Lives in Us_!" Anakin sang aloud- a second time.

"Nothing, am I to be the only one re-awake. ..?" Anakin asked.

Suddenly, he heard growling and barking coming from the Wookiee next to him-who picked up the solid collar that had been broken by Anakin via the Force just minutes earlier.

"Kitster! You were just a cub but you remember- and I can tell you have the Force wielding inside you just like your great-grandfather Ruwee did!" Anakin beamed as he hugged the74-year-old adolescent Wookiee.

"_The Force Lives in Us_!" several of Anakin's children by slave women echoed.

"My sons and daughters! Help the rest of the slaves remember!" Anakin pleaded.

"_The Force Lives in Us_!" all the Coruscantic slaves in the immediate area started to sing in literally hundreds of languages.

"YES! We can do it!" Anakin exclaimed.

"_The Force Lives in Us_!" Anakin and everyone else sang aloud in Coruscant and throughout the galaxy while the Mong slavers started to pick up their Obedience Sticks.

"My Son and True Master, how are we to overcome the Obedience Sticks?" Anakin asked Luke's Force Ghost.

"Use the Force!" Luke's Ghost pleaded.

"But there are so many of them- and they're from a different galaxy so how could it work?" Anakin asked.

"Chosen One, you were able to break the slave collars of many with the Force and they,too, were forged in that other galaxy!" Qui-Gonn's Force Ghost laughed- as he became visible with the blue haze.

"Master Qui-Gonn! You mean, the midichlorians have mutated to overcome _their_ beings and molecules,too?" Anakin asked as he pointed to the Mong.

"The midichlorians are organisms smart enough to evolve to changing environments to survive- like the Tatooine frogs did when your home planet was transformed from swamp to desert!" Qui Gonn's Force Ghost exclaimed.

"My children and grandchildren! We've been given a tool in the Force to win our freedom and those of all the other slaves ! We must use it NOW!" Anakin exclaimed aloud (and via the Force).

At once all the Mongs in a 500 kilometer sphere around the rubble (which had once been Coruscant's Governmental District) were picked up off their feet and suspended in mid-air via the Force.

Anakin sunk to his knees again as he saw and sensed what had happened- as well as many smaller acts of rebellion against the Mong taking place throughout the galaxy via his children, grandchildren and thousands of other Force wielders!

"Leave us your largest carriers but then, leave this planet at once if you ever want to set your feet on solid surface again!" Anakin exclaimed aloud and via the Force to the Mong.

The Mong, quite puzzled with what happened and unable to think of any recourse (as their weapons were now useless against the Mutated-Force wielding Coruscants )and immediately took off. Coruscant was free for the first time in 72 years.

At once, Anakin's younger and stronger sons picked him up on their shoulders and tossed him in the air. Anakin, then remembered another of his capacites- and flew to the top of the ruined Senate Beehive Dome (now the tallest structure in the ruined Coruscant).

" Padmé, the views I showed you of this city were far different from these ruins we've been left with. How I'm thankful you and 28 generations of our progeny were spared having to witness this but this is where our freedom in this time has begun!" Anakin groaned as he looked over the vast ruins that he knew extended far past the horizon before he decided to address aloud (and via the Force) all the former slaves in Coruscant (including 256 of his children and grandchildren).

"With the Force, we have regained our voices and won our freedom but this may prove temporary if we don't act quickly! " Anakin declared.

"What about food?" the Wookiee named Kitster exclaimed in his language and via the Force.

" My Wookiee friend has asked a very relevant question about food. How to feed ourselves is our first issue. The Mong left behind rations of several weeks here but that won't sustain us indefinitely. There's too little rain and even less free soil on Coruscant to grow what we need," Anakin proclaimed aloud and via the Force.

"Father, where can we go?" asked Anakin's 26-year-old redhaired son H9 (who already looked a few years than his 831-year-old father with his perpetually 22-year-old physique) .

"Son, I want you and the others to choose your own names! No longer should we be referred to by numbers and codes. We are free!" Anakin exclaimed.

"I'll go by Patientless!" H9 exclaimed with a laugh.

"Definitely are MY son in that capacity," Anakin laughed.

"Where should we relocate?" Patientless asked.

" We can go to your half-sister Leia's planet of New Alderaan which had a large number of fruit trees, food crops and livestock that should sustain us for a long time until we can plan our next course of action," Anakin exclaimed.

The rest of the day, he and the few others who actually had memories of Coruscant helped those who had been born slaves to find where important sites were. By the ruined Government District's sundown, nearly every Coruscantic was able to find clothing from piles that had been once been Coruscants finest clothiers. Anakin found a sleeveless tunic shirt and a pair of brown slacks to his liking under the rubble.

Soon, Anakin and the others were camped out in the ruins, near the space port ready to use the Mong slave ships as a means to reach New Alderaan the next morning.

"Oh, My Son… My Firstborn Son and True Master, please beg your mother's forgiveness on my part. I was forced to sire 578 living half-siblings in the last 52 years," Anakin groaned late that night inside the Mong slave carrier as he checked the engines to ready it for its journey to New Alderaan.

"Yes, we know, Father!" Luke's Force Ghost laughed as he became visible again with the blue haze

"All those centuries of being faithful, walking in the Light Side and I held off . ._knowing_ poor Miruba before our intended marriage but then. .." Anakin sighed.

"Brother, even when you were a memory-free slave, you DID walk in the Light Side- for the most part. We can forgive you being tempted to do more than just tighten the Mongs' necks when being sad over being separated from mates and offspring but _this_ time, you didn't cross that line!" Obi-Wan's Ghost exclaimed.

"I TOLD you, he wouldn't!" Qui-Gonn's Force Ghost laughed as he banged Obi-Wan's ghostly back.

"Wasn't giving me seven centuries 'I-told-you-so's enough after Endor ?" Obi-Wan's Ghost sighed.

"Not after rejecting my belief there still existed a kernel of good in him every single time I visited you in Tatooine for nineteen straight years!" Qui-Gonn's Ghost proclaimed.

"As much as I'm tempted to bask, Master Qui-Gonn, there's still the issue of all these new offspring I've sired and none of them being by Padmé," Anakin groaned.

"Don't worry, Father! It may have been the greed of the Mong to expand their stores of human livestock through your seed but it was the Will of the Force that you sire them!" Luke's Force Ghost exclaimed.

"But how will I ever face your. ..?" Anakin sighed and shook his head in shame.

"It's okay! She _helped_ will it to happen," Luke's Force Ghost beamed.

"But how. .?" Anakin asked aloud.

"Ani, Padmé's not a Force wielder but she had something more important than that or even your memories to her advantage. She has your heart!" Qui-Gonn's Force Ghost explained.

"So, all of us Force wielders who knew her put our resources together and helped her spirit recall the feelings you had for her rather than the actual memories!" Leia's Force Ghost finished explaining as she,too, became visible.

"My. .Firstborn Daughter! "Anakin exclaimed.

"If you'd been a pig to Mama when she alive, Luke and I would likely have hated you all over but every one of our half-siblings are Force wielders and they can help you free the REST of the Galaxy!" Leia's Force Ghost proclaimed.

"Why do I have the feeling Han probably wishes HE had had the chance to be with all those slave women," Anakin sighed.

"Don't you love our half-siblings? **We** do!" Luke's Force Ghost proclaimed.

"Of course but they weren't born of my heart the way you two were from your mother! " Anakin groaned.

"You always said one of your biggest regrets of turning to the Dark Side was missing out on helping to raise Luke and me- and I know how you tried to recapture those years with our own children," Leia's Force Ghost consoled.

"But that caused some resentment on Han's and Mara's parts," Anakin recalled.

"But now you DO have the opportunities with so many of these children. You have three yet to be born! You sly dog!" Luke's Force Ghost laughed.

"It's not the way I'd have wanted things," Anakin proclaimed.

"Neither was being raised on a desert rock, having my guardians murdered, finding out my father was Vader or thinking I'd have to resurrect the Jedi Order all on my own but . ." Luke's Force Ghost consoled.

"But the Force helped you use those terrible burdens to give you the strength you needed to leave the New Jedi a strong, thriving order at your death," Anakin beamed.

"As the Force did in helping me gather up a group of scared, scattered merchants, vendors and visitors who'd been on other planets when Alderaan was destroyed to make New Alderaan a place of renewal and hope," Leia's Ghost recalled.

"Oh, I really want to make things right with the Coruscantic Galaxy again!" Anakin exclaimed.

"That's one reason why the Force granted you fantastic strength and extended youth, Chosen One," Qui-Gonn's Ghost exclaimed.

"I hate to be discouraging but, while I have no doubt you'll be able to help countless former citizens, you need to remember that things can never exactly be the same and not all wrongs can be righted,"Leia's Force Ghost sighed.

"I remember My Angel telling you that on more than one occasion in your later years," Anakin recalled.

"But maybe at least some of the new things can be better than before !" Luke's Force Ghost exclaimed.

"Yes, I can get your many half-siblings to revive the New Jedi Order, rebuild the Yavin Temples, your statues and. ." Anakin beamed.

"Father, don't bother with my statues. I always thought they were too big and showy," Luke's Force Ghost sighed.

"Why didn't say so before?" Anakin asked.

"I DID say so before but I was always secure enough in my own deeds not to need glory and praise," Luke's Force Ghost shrugged.

"But I wanted future generations to know. ." Anakin gasped.

"Father, as long as they know the Light Side, that's _all_ that matters to me," Luke's Force Ghost shrugged.

"But they need to . ." Anakin protested.

"Whether they reach by me, Master Qui-Gonn, Master Yoda, Master Windu, other teachers or just stumble on it on their own is irrelevant," Luke's Force Ghost exclaimed.

"Right as usual, My True Master," Anakin sighed.

"Father, you don't have to. .. " Luke's Force Ghost protested.

"But I want to. It makes me feel as though you're right with me when I do!" Anakin proclaimed.

"Brother, right now, you need your rest so you and your progeny can guide the others to New Alderaan tomorrow to start a new day for our galaxy!" Obi-Wan's Force Ghost proclaimed as he, Luke, Leia, and Qui-Gonn faded away.

Anakin was quickly able to teach one of his sons (a 45-year-old who called himself Velocity) to pilot the Mong slaver vessal before they and the 5 million other former slaves took off from Coruscant the next day but before they reached New Alderaan, they put the gigantic slaver ship into orbit around Yavin Four while Anakin took a small shuttle pod to the jungle moon's surface. Anakin wasted no time finding where the ruins were and seeking out the pile he'd left Artoo underneath.

"At least the barrenness of Coruscant kept the rubble somewhat identifiable but this jungle has made the ruins indistinguishable from the natural hills. How can I ever find. .?" Anakin asked aloud.

"Ageless One, have you forgotten in just one day? Use the Force!" laughed the 74-year-old teenaged Wookiee named Kitster (in Wookie).

"Of course! I can feel where my lightsabre is and now we just have to dig it out again!" Anakin proclaimed.

"So is this near where my great-grandfather and your fiancée. ..?" Kitster the Wookiee asked(in Wookiee)

"Yes, and one day we will return here to give them and all the others who fell a proper memorial service but right now I need to find," Anakin sighed.

"Here's a keystone! I can't budge the thing! Maybe with the Force. ." Kitster the Wookiee exclaimed (in Wookiee)

"No, we need to keep using the Force as much as possible to keep communicating with the other Force wielders all over the rest of the galaxy and help the other citizens regain their languages as we did in Coruscant," Anakin insisted- while he quickly tore the jungle vines and roots off the keystone as though they were mere spider webs instead of virtual ropes.

"Are you going to try to lift that thing? I know you're very strong but that's too much for even a Wookiee," Kitster the Wookiee protested as Anakin put both hands under the foundation.

"It's what I NEED to do!" Anakin grunted as he lifted the keystone of several hundred kilograms off the ground.

"I see a rusty metal can under here. Is that?" Kitster the Wookie asked (in Wookiee).

"Yes, it's Artoo and you need to pull him out! That's why you're here!" Anakin proclaimed.

Kitster did so.

"Old Friend! I don't know if I'm too late but as soon as we get to New Alderaan, I'll do everything I can to revive you! If any droid deserves to be part of the Force, it's you!" Anakin exclaimed as, to Kitster's astonishment, he hugged the rusty droid before they quickly reboarded the shuttle and took off for New Alderaan.

For the next week, Anakin frantically worked at scrubbing off the rust and welding new parts from metal ores for Artoo on New Alderaan while the Coruscant refugees found ample food growing wild for all 5 million of them and then came the day when he insisted on everyone gathering around a large mesa not too far from New Alderaan's capital city site of New Aldera City.

"My Firstborn Son and True Master Luke used to wonder if there was any reason for New Jedi to use Force Lightning- and now I can demonstrate that there IS!" Anakin exclaimed aloud and via the Force to the entire crowd gather while he made a single continuous and controlled electric charge zap from his right hand's fingertips to Artoo's power port.

Artoo beeped and whirled a great deal-then opened a hatch and popped out Anakin's Jedi blue lightsabre and japor pendent which Anakin immediately caught with his left hand and then using only his left hand (for his right was powering Artoo with the controlled Force Lightning to his power port), Anakin secured the lightsabre to his tunic's toolbelt then put back the japor snippet back on his neck after 72 years.

"Yes, Artoo,I agree! It's good being back! Are you ready?" Anakin asked.

Artoo projected a holovid from his lid over 100 meters in height in three dimensions for the entire crowd to see.

"This is where we live! The Coruscant Galaxy. Our capital planet of Coruscant is here!" Anakin explained aloud (and via the Force to the crowd)- as the holovid zoomed to the Core and highlighted the system and planet.

"We're now 500 light years away on New Alderaan but your ancestors called an infinite number of planets home and Artoo and I are going to show you a very tiny slice of what our civilization was capable of over the next three hours!" Anakin proclaimed.

"What good will showing that ancient history do us?" a Twi'lek named Pornem asked.

"It can give everyone something to find inspiration for our futures! The Force wants everyone to the best with the gifts we've been given! THAT's why it lives in all of us- Force wielders and others!""Anakin started to say.

As Anakin continued his talk, he couldn't help but feel that he had a very long mission ahead of him to free the other Coruscants from both his own and the Quechu-Mong galaxies- and he knew he'd have to be ready to confront the Mongs before they had a chance to catch up to the Coruscant fugitive ex-slaves. He wasn't sure but hope the Force could guide himself and the other Force wielders to defend themselves and the others. Oh, and he also hoped the Force could help him be the best father possible to his 578 living children from in utero to 51 years of age. He still wasn't wasn't sure if the Force could help him deal with all their many mothers (who now had very strong and diverse ideas on how they wanted him in their lives) though.


	14. All That Glitters

'Harvest' (Chapter Fourteen)

By Ennon

A/N- Miss Naye- Glad you think it's funny and thanks for staying with me! I hope other regulars will join/rejoin us soon!

CHAPTER BEGINS

In the six months since the Coruscant Five Million relocated to New Alderaan, Anakin helped them to remember such skills as constructing homes out of the rubble, how to pen in livestock, how to clothe and clean themselves, how to find fresh water and edible plants along with waste disposal. Anakin felt pulled in all directions with inquiries and demands for his teaching but seeing the faces of the other former slaves- (especially his many children) light up at his presence gave Anakin a great deal of purpose in those fledging times. New Aldera City was essentially rebuilt from the ground up by the sixth month and inhabitated by the largest colony of Freed Coruscantics who daily would walk to the surrounding countryside to find its food.

He and Artoo were doing their best to teach literacy to as many as possible who had been deprived of access to learning as slaves but with few holotexts around to be read, no way to produce new ones and little energy to even read the remaining holotexts. Anakin was somewhat hampered in his efforts to teach, but then he recalled Yoda having told Luke about how he'd kept detailed memories of Jedi days alive when he was all alone in exile in Dagobah with no access to holotexts- by chanting and singing. Anakin,thus, encouraged as many to chant everything from history, literature to scientific explanations and instructions. Still, there were other matters that didn't wait. .

"But why are we pulling these plows, Anakin?" Kitster the Wookie asked(in Wookiee)

"Because the banthas here haven't been trained and we need to make sure there's a steady food supply before the winter- and we're the strongest of them" Anakin replied while dragging the wooden plow while carrying a pouch over his chest containing his 2-month old son Obi-Wan Padtwinsib in New Alderaan right outside the New Aldera city remains.

"But I remember us Wookiees foraging and hunting for our food. Why can't the humans and others do that?" Kitster asked(in Wookiee) while guiding the plow as several of Anakin's children's mothers followed behind to spread the seeds in the freshly plowed soil..

"With five million from Coruscant and another 2 million that have joined us this past year, we can't rely on the plants and animals being hunted to extinction. Besides, these will be useful skills to learn when everyone resettles the rest of the galaxy," Anakin explained.

"But I'm no farmer! I have too much Wookiee in me!"Kitster protested(in Wookie).

"Our Founder Luke said he had too much of **me** in him to farm when he young!" Anakin laughed.

" I'd much rather you train me to be a New Jedi" Kitster protested (in Wookiee).

"Consider this _part_ of the training! After Our Founder's wife Mara died, My True Master learned that growing things is a good solace and teacher of patience- and it helps us feel stronger in the Light Side!" Anakin declared as he turned the plow around while Kitster pushed it forward.

"Ani, did it help when the Angel Mother died eight years later?" asked 25-year-old the black haired Shmiree Padtwinsibsma as she carried their 2 month-old son Obi-Wan Padtwinsib in her carrying pouch while helping throw the seed.

"Luckily, I took to it before then- and she always enjoyed the brightness and fragrance of the blooms I'd grow for her right to the end," Anakin recalled.

"Until we re-awoke six months ago, I'd never even seen a flower. Now I can't imagine our child not growing up without them in our lives!" Shmiree declared as she scattered it forth.

"He sure is getting restless there! I'll miss being able to carry him around with me!" Anakin laughed as he kissed the top of his youngest child's head.

"I'll do whatever we need. You know that but I still don't think I'll ever like farming!" Kitster sniffed (in Wookiee).

"Shh! What's that?" Anakin said in alarm.

"I don't hear anything!" Kitster protested (in Wookiee).

"Listen to the Force instead of your ears! How many times do I have to. .?" Anakin whispered.

"You're right. It sounds like some kind of droid flying 20 light years past this system!" Kitster gasped (in Wookiee).

"23, actually but I'd say it's a Mong droid trying to seek us out. We need to concentrate the Force on that spot. Okay, everyone! NOW!" Anakin commanded verbally and via the Force.

"We. .did it!" Kitster exclaimed as every Force wielder could sense the droid being imploded in space 23 light-years away.

"Yes, we did but it was obviously one of thousands all seeking us out! They want to recapture and re-enslave us. They're frustrated with the fact that all their slaves now have their mother tongues and the older ones have memories of life before," Anakin groaned.

"What will we do?" Shmiree asked.

"We'll have to have an assembly to plan our next course of action but we can't just sit still and do nothing," Anakin declared.

After listening to a large number of chants and songs, the meeting came to order- and Anakin shocked everyone the hundreds of attendees (at the restored New Alderaan Royal Council Hall).

"That probe droid was one of thousands- not dissimilar to what I used when I was Our Founder's Enemy to seek him out 791 years ago," Anakin sighed.

"Why do you keep comparing yourself to monsters ?" one of Anakin's children's mothers named Bortai Padtwinsibma (a grey-haired woman aged 65) asked).

"Because I WAS a monster back then and can share the insights from that horrible time to help outflank other monsters," Anakin groaned.

"But you were in that horrible person's service. You told us about how he tricked you," Bortai gasped.

"Yes, but every cruelty I reveled in and wanton death I caused was of my own choice and volition back then. Pretending those choices I made and horrible actions I did were that wretch's responsibility and not my own would be dishonest and cowardly," Anakin sighed.

"But it's been centuries since then and you've walked in the Light Side all that time whenever possible," Jobal Padtwinsibma (another of Anakin's children's mothers in a brunette in her 40's) protested.

"True but that doesn't change what I did or restore life to those I crushed when I didn't, "Anakin groaned.

"Why are you rehashing that business again when we have to decide how to combat the Mong droids?" Kitster the Wookiee protested (in Wookiee).

"I must address those times so we can find insight into how to stop the Mong threat from hurting any one of us," Anakin sighed.

"But that droid was destroyed. Are you sure that will lead them to us?" Jobal (one of Anakin's children's mothers) asked.

"It may not be that hard for them to put together it was destroyed by the Force- and they could try to search for the Force's source. Then,too, if it's one of thousands, they could easily send another one that would spot us," Anakin groaned.

"Is there any way we can prevent them from sending them out,Father?" Anakin's son Qui-Gonn Padtwinsib (aged 23 who looked virtually like Anakin's own twin-for the time being) asked.

"If we could find their source. .." Anakin pondered.

"But the Quechu-Mong has millions of systems and is just as big as ours," groaned Bortai.

"Yes, but few of them are inhabited and it's all ruled by the Quechu whose system are surrounded by systems of the Mong who serve them and enslave us,"Kitster the Wookiee explained (unfortunately, in Wookiee).

"What did he say?" Anakin's son Qui-Gonn Padtwinsib asked.

"If only you'd stay for Wookiee lessons like your younger brothers Han and Kino do," Anakin sighed.

"But.. ." Qui-Gonn Padtwinsbib started to protest.

"Kitster was taken by them for a few years quite deep into their galaxy and just recalled that their entire galaxy is run by one system called the Quechu who have surrounded themselves by the Mong who serve them. By the Light Side, this may be even easier than My True Master, the New Alderaan Matriarch and their friends ending the Imperial Gap!" Anakin exclaimed while jumping a meter off the raised chamber.

"What kind of creatures are the Quechu?" asked Bortai (one of the mothers of Anakin's children).

Kitster the Wookiee growled a bit and then Anakin translated.

"He says he only saw one image of them on a monitor while they were talking to the Mong. .and they weren't creatures at all but. .. . DROIDS!" Anakin gulped.

"What! " the assembled group asked.

Kitster the Wookiee explained in more detail.

"They live in a system where no one but droids is allowed- not even their subject Mongs who do their dirty work for them in the surrounding systems ," Anakin translated in awe.

"Pops, maybe we should leave here," pondered a Corellian former slave descendent (by Padmé ) named Oscott Magnus (aged 24).

"No, we're starting to rebuild- and hopefully, we'll spread out and be able to teach the REST of the galaxy, but we need time so it looks like I'll have to go on a mission to the Quechu Core World in the Quechu-Mong Galaxy," Anakin gulped.

Everyone was quite appalled at what he was saying.

"But what if something happens who will. ..?" Anakin's onetime mate Bortai asked.

"Every life the Force touches is precious- whether we're Wielders or not. I've lived more than seven centuries more than the next eldest in my family and I no longer have regrets. I'm ready to meet My True Master and My Angel again and _forever_!" Anakin happily beamed.

"But what about the rest of us?" Shmiree (Anakin's onetime mate) asked.

" My grandson Prince Anakin Organa-Solo of New Alderaan and Naboo gave his all to keep our galaxy free of the Mong for almost seven centuries and I'm willing to follow in his heroic steps to keep all of you free!" Anakin exclaimed- while he noticed that Kino's many times great-nephew Oscott somewhat was oblivious to hearing about his heroic collateral ancestor again.

"But,Pops, how do you expect to sneak in there?" Oscott asked.

" Luckily, I remember something that was onloan from the Yavin New Jedi Museum Temple to the Royal New Alderaan Museum at the time of the Mong Invasion that could come in handy- and I think I know where the Museum's rubble pile may be," Anakin pondered.

"I've adjusted the Hyperdrive on the Mong Slaver Shuttle as you showed me. Anything else?" Anakin's 51-year-old son Patientless Padtwinsib asked while they were in the clearing of the shuttle.

"Just help fasten on this helmet. I'd forgotten how tricky it was to redo the collar clasps while wearing gloves- and I somehow don't feel like asking the Force to help me put this thing BACK on," Anakin groaned as he came up to the cargo door wearing a replica of. .. Darth Vader's Armor (although with plenty of room for Anakin's restored body and Anakin was able to breathe through the mouth area grid). and carrying Vader's Mask in his right hand.

"You actually WORE that thing for 23 years?" Patientless asked.

"I did, Son! If I put this mask on, I'll look every bit like a machine as those Quechu are," Anakin groaned.

"Are you sure about this?" Kitster the Wookiee asked (in Wookiee) as Artoo beeped his total agreement with Kitster.

"I already received Our Founder Luke's blessing on this . He knows that change comes from the inside out- not vice versa," Anakin sighed while he put Vader's Mask over his collar.

Artoo beeped a bit.

"Artoo, I wish you _could_ come with me and Kitster but you're needed here. Think of all the classes you're teaching and I don't want to chance you being captured and changed into something you were never meant to be,Old Friend!" Anakin consoled as he hugged Artoo's lid.

"I'll help you take the Mask off when you need to eat and . .at other times,"Kitster the Wookiee sighed.

"It must be very uncomfortable inside that thing!"Patientless gulped.

"Not as bad as before," Anakin sighed.

"But those boots! You hadn't worn shoes in decades!" Kitster the Wookie gasped (in Wookiee).

"Better my toes temporarily imprisoned than the Coruscant Galaxy not being freed!" Anakin declared as he and Kitster walked up the ramp to the cheers of the millions of former slaves on New Alderaan.

Two months later, having successfully passed through more than a dozen Mong check points, they were able hover over the Quechu-Mong capital planet of Quechu and both were quite amazed to see what a sterile environment it was with the entire planet covered in buildings but, of course, not a living being to be seen (not even a Mong)- only the Quechu droids themselves.

"Didn't you say Coruscant looked similar to this before they invaded it and took everyone away?" Kitster asked in Wookiee.

"Actually, yes," Anakin gulped.

"And you want to rebuild that planet just like THIS? I'd prefer it with weeds and vines growing through the ruins to that!" Kitster gulped in Wookiee.

"Yes, I guess there were too many existing on that single planet," Anakin conceded.

" Do you know what we're looking for?" Kitster asked in Wookiee.

"The Force will tell me when we've found it as it's told me that only someone who knows what it was like to BE a machine and tyrant can make any headway with these droids," Anakin sighed.

"Are you ready?" Kitster the Wookiee asked via the Force.

"We will be! We'll have to use the Force to communicate with each other because if they suspect I can speak your language," Anakin pleaded.

"I understand. We need to do what needs to be done!" Kitster the Wookie exclaimed via the Force.

"Forgive me putting the binders on your wrists, Kitster but Our Founder used this trick with your ancestor Chewbacca in helping her future consort rescue the New Alderaan Matriarch,"Anakin recalled as they were ready to land on the main planet of the Quechu System. .

Kitster the Wookiee growled a bit (which needed no translation).

" I'll only fasten the binders together when we're actually there! I promise." Anakin sighed.

"Didn't you once tell me how you and my original namesake disguised themselves as Sand People when you two were boys?" Kitster the Wookiee asked.(in Wookiee).

" Glad you were paying attention!" Anakin laughed.

" Interesting story just don't expect me to become a Senator like he did!" Kitster the Wookiee laughed (in Wookiee).

"As long as you inspire someone by being _half_ the friend he was to them that Kitster Banai was to me the latter half of his life, that will be more than enough!" Anakin insisted he banged on Kitster the Wookiee's back.

"I hope your vocoder can automatically translate into the Quechu with the Mong program we put in the microchip,"Kitster cautioned(in Wookiee)

" No time like the present to find out," Anakin gulped- and for the first time in almost eight centuries, he turned it on and had to hear the VERRY deep drone of the vocoder instead of his own actual voice.

"I don't think I could stand being in that machine and having to hear that voice instead of my own. No wonder you became twisted and evil!" Kitster the Wookiee gulped (in Wookiee).

"It wasn't being 'more machine than man' but my own choices that made me twisted and evil back then. Artoo's all machine and not the least bit flesh but it would be hard to find a more heroic and virtuous being in any galaxy," Anakin pondered (with the vocoder deepening then translating his voice into Quechu) as they left the Mong shuttle.

"You there! You're bringing us a Wookiee Scant Sacrifice for tonight's Arena?" a red-metallic droid about a quarter meter taller than Anakin in his Vader Armor shouted in Quechu( which Anakin could hear being automatically translated back into Coruscantic Basic via his ear droid translator).

"Yes that's what I'm here for!" Anakin replied in Quechu via his vocoder.

" He looks as though he'd be a good specimen for the simulcast. I hope the Mong didn't overcharge you for this one, though," the red metallic droid snapped in Quechu.

"Not too bad," Anakin replied in Quechu with his vocoder- as the red metallic droid started pulling open Kitster the Wookiee's lip to check the teeth.

" This one seems quite docile- in spite of the Mong letting the Memory Wipe System break down," the red droid sniffed in Quechu.

"Shouldn't they have fixed that by now?" Anakin asked in Quechu with his vocoder.

"They tried but they think raising the frequency will just wipe _their _memories out,too. Then we'd be stuck with having to do their work FOR them," the red droid snarled in Quechu.

"Couldn't have that now, could we?" sniffed Anakin in Quechu with his vocoder.

"Get the Wookiee ready for the Arena so we can put on a good show!" the red droid sniffed in Quechu.

" They want me to be an Arena Sacrifice?" Kitster the Wookiee silently screamed to Anakin via the Force.

"It would seem. I sense at least one familiar Force presence here- and another that doesn't have the Force? Hmm, I wonder how I could sense . .?" Anakin asked to himself as they made their way towards the Arena (which they had spotted before landing and was easy to find in the dead strait streets spiraling out from the circular building.


	15. Final Flash

'Rules of the Game' (Chapter Fifteen)

By Ennon

A/N- Miss Naye- Don't feel too bad for Anakin's current state as it's not something entirely detrimental this time.

Swspacecadet- I know what it's like working overtime on projects so I can relate!

I'm somewhat intrigued by what you said about the Mong Takeover being worth a separate story unto itself. I hadn't really considered that because my focus was more on how things would be dealt with rather detail the impact. My apologies for not having drawn that out in more detail but (just so you know), I plan on making good corrections/tweakings on ALL chapters once I've finished and I may very well add more detail to said Takeover at that time (and perhaps I may actually do an entirely separate story about the Mong Takeover one day- I hadn't thought of that before but I'm pleased this proved intriguing enough for at least you that I'm strongly considering it).. You made good calls about how confusing it's been to have all these new characters introed AND how I mixed up which parents was carrying Anakin's youngest! Well, I HAVE put in a character list at the head of Chapter Fourteen AND corrected that 'carrying' inconsistency and have posted the REVISED chapter up with those two additions so you can go back! Good advice about developing a smaller number of ideas in more depth and I like the term Coruscanti!

Raijan- Thanks for giving your opinion about these later chapters at this time and I'm glad you liked how the Mong were gotten rid of from Coruscant at that time!

CHAPTER BEGINS

While Anakin was back inside Vader's Suit and Mask leading Kitster the Wookiee on a chain trying to find out where the Quechu Central Command on the Quechu-Mong's capital planet was so he could locate and free all Coruscanti slaves, neither of them paid considered that at that moment, a hatch was opening from inside their Mong Shuttle underneath the floor of the Mong fresher. Suddenly, a tall probe shot up from the opening and scoped around. Since no one was looking, Artoo decided this would be the perfect time to take a look at this new environment so he could decide for himself what he could do to help out Anakin or Kitster out of whatever mess Artoo was certain they'd stumble into.

"You there!" Red Droid RF7 droned in Quechu to Anakin (inside Vader's Suit and Mask).

"Is there a problem?" Anakin replied (his vocoder automatically lowering his voice to Vader's pitch and translating it to Quechu- his earpiece having translated the Quechu into Coruscantic Basic).

"What's the meaning of taking that Scant Creature out in the open streets? Have you been away so long as to forget our laws?" RF7 asked.

" Of course not. I thought that since we want good attendance for the Arena, it would do well for our fellow droids to see the newest acquisitions captured," Anakin snapped.

"Hmm, you think that your captured Scant Wookiee would make a good challenge for our 'Scant Zabrak Champion?" RF7 asked.

"'Scant Zabrak Champion?" Anakin gulped- almost dropping Kitster's chain.

" He always gives the best performance possible the way he tears apart and destroys all challengers. If he can't defeat them by strength, he does an excellent number with that Coruscantic Force he has!" RF7 chortled (as best a droid could).

"You know of the Coruscantic Force?" Anakin gulped.

"I know we're not supposed to openly talk of these things but it makes it even more entertaining when he uses it to dismember his opponents and trying to break his chains!" RF7 chortled.

"Dismember?" Anakin gulped.

"Yeah, like what he did with Coruscanti Rancor they brought in three years ago. Tore that thing right apart before the entire audience with his galaxy's Force alone and didn't even physically touch it!"RF7 recalled as it rolled away on treads.

" Anakin, I don't want to have to fight something that tears apart other creatures with the Force," Kitster gulped(in Wookiee)

" I can't blame you there but it seems that all the Quechu Elite are almost as addicted to this savage spectacle as some were to Coruscant Death Sticks," Anakin replied to Kitster (via the Force).

"You mean, I'm going to have to fight that thing?" Kitster gasped (in Wookiee).

" We need to get inside there and I can't think of any other way but for you to have to appear to be the Challenger. Don't worry, I'll do my best to keep you unharmed," Anakin sighed to Kitster (via the Force).

" You said you felt a familiar Force presence here. Do you think that Zabrak could be. ..?" Kitster asked (in Wookiee).

"I can't feel him at this time yet there were few Zabrak Force wielders before the Mong so I'm not sure," Anakin replied (via the Force).

" Let's get this over," Kitster groaned (in Wookiee) while they made their way to the Arena.

Anakin and Kitster made their way towards it and it took some persuading on Anakin's part to let him (who was now inside Vader's Suit and Mask) remain with Kitster as they made their way to the Elevator beneath the Arena's Trap Door. Lining both sides of the passage were hundreds of cages- each containing a single Coruscanti creature.

"What does that phrase say in Quechu? You picked up their written language but I didn't," Kitster gulped (in Wookiee) as they were saw a single phrase repeated over each individual's cage.

While Anakin tried to translate it, they heard a creaking voice from one of the cages.

"Ruwee, is that you? I thought I saw your head explode along with so many others," an ancient Kaminoan female gasped.

"No, it's his great-grandson Kitster. You're Vlenoba Lamur," Anakin called out to her (via the Force).

"Ageless One? What are you doing here in that mask? You need to get out to save yourself from these creatures!" Vlenoba gasped aloud.

"I've come to free everyone the way My True Master would have wanted," Anakin explained (via the Force).

"Save yourselves. It's too late for me," the 78-year-old Vlenoba started to cry.

"What are you talking about? You were the one who first warned us about them 72 years ago. We're getting you and the others out of here," Anakin pleaded (via the Force).

"Where would I go? Who would be with me?" Vlenoba asked.

"We'd take you to New Alderaan and take care of you as long as you need," Anakin pleaded (via the Force).

"I remember when I was a child, I used to think of one day being a champion New Jedi Dame and maybe even passing it along to a family of my own – then, to re-awake and find out I'm too old to have a family," Vlenoba deeply groaned.

"We'll be your family on New Alderaan! We have Coruscantis from hundreds of planets living with us!" Anakin pleaded (via the Force).

"But not a single Kaminoan. The Mong considered us too delicate to bother breeding so. .." Vlenoba cried again.

"You're the very last Kaminoan! " Kitster groaned (in Wookiee).

"But Kamino had a billion inhabitants prior to the Mong Takeover," Anakin gasped aloud with his vocoder automatically translating it to Quechu.

Vlenoba sadly nodded.

"What do you care about that weakling race? It's your job to ready your Wookiee Challenger for the Zabrak Champion," sniffed a yellow droid called U8.

"If we live, we will return for you and the other last survivors and give you a home on New Alderaan. I promise!" Anakin exclaimed via the Force to Vlenoba.

Anakin realized at last the words above every prison cell lining the passage to the Arena Trap Door Elevator said the Quechu words 'Last of Species' above it and looked at Kitster then at Vlenoba realizing that the Mong had wiped out Kamino and worked every single other of its delicate creatures to death. Without the Kaminoans there to constantly tend and obtain new supplies in exchange for their unparalleled healing skills, Anakin didn't need to the Force to see that Tipoca City and every other settlement on Kamino had in 72 years become drowned piles of rust battered by the ceasingly stormy ocean washing over them. Their very city supports had likely crumbled and the once awe-inspiring machines and devises inside were now inoperable and unrecognizable. How many other habitations, technologies and innovations of the Coruscantic Galaxy would prove to be destroyed forever, Anakin wondered. But he and Kitster couldn't wonder too long as they had to get inside the Arena

"You haven't fitted the Challenger with his collar?"buzzed U8 as they were at the base of the Elevator.

"He hadn't tried to escape in some time so. ." Anakin tried to explain (in Quechu).

"His limbs will be free enough soon in the Arena. He needs our charged collar to keep from escaping," U8 explained as he put a large one on Kitster's neck.

"Now what? This seems to be charged with a different current than in the Corscant Galaxy and even Force Lightning seems to have no effect on it," Kitster gulped (in Wookiee) to Anakin- after having tried a little of it on his fingertips.

"A Force Wielding Wookiee! The Zabrak Champion will be pleased,"U8 exclaimed .

"Great! We were supposed to distract everyone in the Arena with Force displays while you went and disabled the Quechu Central Command. Now what?" Kitster gulped aloud in Wookiee.

"I'll stand as close I can to the Arena Ring to keep you safe until this is over. Then maybe when they praise you as the New Champion, I can take advantage of the festivities and disable Central Command to free the Coruscantis!" Anakin considered to Kitster via the Force.

They soon found themselves surrounded by millions of droids of all sizes and colors seated on all sides of them in the Arena and they weren't sure what they were going to do next but they saw a large block of carbonite being hoisted into the Arena.

"And from the savage wilds of the Scant Galaxy, we present our Challenger- a Force Wielding Wookiee named. .? Who cares because again tonight we have our Own Zabrak Champion! Thaw him out at once!" the droid announcer cheered.

Anakin and Kitster were rather dumbfounded as the carbonite melted and with light coming from the inside-out.

"Yes, we apologize to the audience for this rather primitive technique but since the Zabrak's a Scant Flesher and NOT a droid like us, this is how we've had to preserve him in fighting form these 72 years!" the announcer explained.

"It's Kha-tsel Sarin, Darth Maul's son!" Anakin gulped as he saw Kha-tsel in the same charged collar as Kitster had been placed in via the Force to Kitster the Wookiee.

"I smell New Jedi here! You dare challenge _me_?" Kha-tsel snarled as he blinked his eyes a bit and picked up the lightsabre at his side.

"He has Hibernation Sickness! I don't know how long blindness lasts in Zabraks but see if there's sand or dust on the arena floor to throw in. .." Anakin pleaded via the Force to Kitster.

"These droids keep everything sterile and spotless," Kitster replied back to Anakin via the Force.

"Oh, I can tell you're talking to someone ELSE with the Force, New Jedi and no droids HAVE it! There's another Scant Flesher amongst you! DARE to show yourself or I'll have you exposed before the entire Arena!" Kha-tsel snarled (in Quechu) as he blinked his eyes and suddenly could see again and swung his red lighsabre at Kitster's head.

"Anakin, why don't you throw me your blue lightsabre and I can buy some time?" Kitster pleaded via the Force to Anakin but Anakin had already jumped into the Ring.

"Leave him alone!" Anakin pleaded as he used the Force to jump 20 meters over and 10 meters down into the Arena looking every inch Darth Vader.

" I said the lightsabre not- ALL of you," Kitster gulped via the Force.

"Oh, now I can REALLY give the audience an entertaining spectacle! I've DREAMED of this from the time I was first told what you _once_ looked like, Pops!" Kha-tsel snarled.

"Is that all you care about?" Anakin asked.

"Yeah, and to avenge my father Darth Maul and the Sith with your carcass! Can't you hear their applause? They LOVE it!" Kha-tsel sneered.

"If we are to fight, at least let Kitster free until it's over!" Anakin called out to the announcer droid while drawing his blue lightsabre.

"Another boring rule, New Jedi?" Kha-tsel snarled.

"But he's been given the collar…" the droid announcer pleaded.

"I can wear it in his place. It's only fair since your Champion has one!" Anakin pleaded (with his vocoder translating into Quechu).

"Fair enough, but our guard droids will keep him captive until the fight's finished," the announcer droid proclaimed as they handed Anakin the charged collar and he put it over Vader's Armor while two very large guard droids immobilized Kitster from moving while watching this.

"Now we can get the fight I've been waiting for all these years! If only my father Darth Maul could have seen me!"Kha-tsel chortled as he swung his red lightsabre at Anakin's Vader Mask.

" So you DO care about things besides fighting and cruelty?" Anakin sniffed- as he blocked Kha-tsel's red lightsabre with his blue one.

"Oh, another Jedi Mind Trick? Who cares? THIS is what I'm good for!" Kha-tsel snarled as he charged forward while Anakin rolled beneath him.

"I once thought destruction, cruelty and fear-mongering was all I was good for but My True Master showed me it wasn't too late to walk a more fulfilling path!" Anakin recalled.

"You bore our audience with your lectures," Kha-tsel boiled as he swung his red lightsabre to knock the blue one from Anakin's hand.

"Is being a toy for others' cruelty worth more than kinship? They're just using you the way Palpatine used me! " Anakin pleaded.

"That's not true! They LOVE me! They NEED me!"Kha-tsel boiled as he picked up Anakin's blue lightsabre with his left hand.

"Wielding two at once? Impressive!" Anakin conceded.

"And I'll use them BOTH to decapitate you," Kha-tsel snarled.

"Then what? They freeze you again until the next fight- and the next one until someone beats you or you eventually get too old for their entertainment?" Anakin asked.

"That's NOT TRUE!" Kha-tsel boiled as he put out his hands to try to strangle Anakin but Anakin saw he dropped the two lightsabres and picked them up himself.

" Isn't it?" Anakin asked.

"By my father Darth Maul, I'll get you yet, New Jedi!" Kha-tsel proclaimed-as he tried to knee Anakin in the nether regions.

"If you do, you'll never find out what being part of a family means!" Anakin proclaimed as he jumped up.

"What do I CARE!" Kha-tsel snarled.

"You keep invoking the father you never knew the way My True Master wanted to avenge his father when he didn't know MY identity. All beings want some kind of family!" Anakin laughed as charged forward.

"My identity as a Sith and a Champion is ALL I need!" Kha-tsel boiled as jumped over Anakin.

" Are sure that was all your father needed?" Anakin asked as he ducked under Kha-tsel.

"Of course it . .." Kha-tsel fumed as banged Anakin's Vader Armour with his fist.

"Then why did he insist on his original surname being passed onto. ." Anakin asked as blocked Kha-tsel's blows with his elbows and elbowed him back.

"What do I. .?" Kha-tsel snarled.

"Was it just vengeance that he wanted you born- or did he seek to create a family for himself with your original mother like the Zabrak one he'd been torn away from as a baby that he defied Palpatine to create you," Anakin asked- as he pinned Kha-tsel's arms back with his right arm and held his own blue lightsabre with his left arm to Kha-tsel's neck.

"He never defied. He. ." Kha-tsel boiled.

"Are you sure or is this just merely what you were told?" Anakin asked.

"He. .." Kha-tsel snarled.

" Isn't there SOME part of you that wished you could have gotten to know your birth mother Penelli who, being Padmé's descendent loved you even though you were implanted inside her against her will. Haven't you ever regretted your birth causing her death?" Anakin asked.

"GO AHEAD! KILL ME NOW! I can't stand listening to these twisted lectures!" Kha-tsel screamed- with a catch in his voice.

"You've been used by so many your entire existance but that doesn't mean you must KEEP being used. The Light Side can show you what the Force believes you're truly worth!" Anakin pleaded.

"WHY AREN'T YOU KILING ME! I'M GOOD FOR NOTHING ELSE AND I've injured you and wanted your death without the slightest hesitation!" Kha-tsel screamed.

"I did the same to My True Master and he had no reason to trust me or give me any chances whatsoever but instead he freed me- and I'm willing to do the same for you. ..because there IS good inside you!" Anakin proclaimed- as he took his blue lightsabre from Kha-tsel's throat.

Kha-tsel picked up the red lightsabre- and swung it towards himself when Anakin stopped him from impaling his own heart on the blade.

"STOP THIS! You've ruined our spectacle! We will take the three of you to the Golden Seer at once to decide your fates!" the droid announcer announced while Kha-tsel actually started to cry.


	16. Chapter 17

' All That Glitters' (Chapter Sixteen)

By Ennon

A/N- In a break with my usual deal, I'm going to withhold commentary on Ch. 15's Reviews until the end of this chapter- for reasons that will become apparent as this chapter unfolds.

CHAPTER BEGINS-

In 790 AY, eight months after the Coruscantis Awakenings from 72 years of slavery with muteness and no memories, Anakin Skywalker (disguised in Vader's Suit and Mask), Kitster the Wookiee (Chewbacca's descendant) and Kha-tsel Sarin a Zabrak(son of Darth Maul) were in the Quechu-Mong Galaxy capital world of Quechu being led by guard droids to the quarters of the Golden Seer to await their fate.

"Got any ideas how to get us out of this?" Kitster growled/barked (in Wookiee).

"NO communication among prisoners!" a guard droid barked as they were being marched.

"Don't worry! They can't detect Force links," Anakin exclaimed via the Force.

"What did you say? Why aren't you including ME in this conversation?"Kha-tsel boiled to Anakin via the Force.

"Anakin, I don't want him in on this," Kitster silently sighed via the Force.

"We're all in the very same position now. No time for exclusions," Anakin argued via the Force.

"Thank you! Now, explain why you didn't let me impale my heart with lightsabre?" Kha-tsel asked via the Force.

"Yeah, I was wondering that myself!" Kitster scoffed via the Force.

"Because you were beginning to acknowledge that part of you that DOES contain the curiosity and longing for the Light Side- and you wouldn't have reacted so extremely if it didn't bother you," Anakin explained via the Force.

"HA!" boiled Kha-tsel.

"Yeah, right," scoffed Kitster via the Force.

"Your great-grandfather Ruwee told me I should give Kha-tsel a chance and I think we'd all do well to pad in his tracks!" Anakin argued via the Force.

"I'm not my great-grandfather or our more distant ancestor, Chewbacca. I'm me!" Kitster sighed via the Force.

"You'd have gotten to be the New Champion and been idolized by the Quechu had you let me impale myself," Kha-tsel sneered via the Force.

"I have no interest in being a Master of Evil again- especially for others' amusement and suicide would have snuffed out whatever good exists in you and condemned you forever to the Dark Side!" Anakin explained via the Force.

"It's what I wanted!" Kha-tsel sneered via the Force.

"I once thought that,too," Anakin sighed via the Force.

Suddenly, Anakin heard excited beeping from inside his earpiece

"Artoo, what are you doing _here_?" Anakin asked aloud.

"I said no communication!"the guard droid buzzed in Quechu as he took off Vader's Mask from Anakin's head- but not before he heard Artoo relate a very significant bit of information.

"UGH! What a hideous Flesher face you have- even more hideous than the Zabrak's and Wookiee's! Put the Mask back on so you don't upset and revolt our citizens before your time with the Golden Seer!" the guard droned in Quechu while millions of droids watching the group being marched chirped and beeped rather alarmingly at the site of Anakin's human face.

"Can you tell us about this Golden Seer? " Anakin asked as he put Vader's Mask back on.

"It's none of the prisoners' business until we reach the quarters!" the guard droid barked in Quechu.

"What do you know about this entity?" Anakin asked Kha-tsel via the Force.

"Why should I tell you?" Kha-tsel sniffed via the Force.

"Because you're about to share our fate and maybe something you could mention about him could clue me in to how to save us," Anakin pleaded via the Force.

" You actually think you could trust _me_ to help you?" Kha-tsel sneered via the Force.

"It's to all our benefits that we work together," Anakin exclaimed via the Force.

"We have to work _with_ this Zabrak?" Kitster sighed via the Force.

"For the time being at least. Whatever happens, we say NOTHING about the others or where they are located!" Anakin exclaimed via the Force.

An entire battalion of droid guards opened two 200 meter tall doors and led the three with their ten droid guards guarding them on the inside.

"ALL kneel before the Golden Seer called to see the Arena Contestants who are urged to beg for mercy !" a droid announcer droned in Quechu (which Anakin translated in Basic via the Force for Kitster)

Kha-tsel then Kitster both kneeled but Anakin stood standing.

"Why aren't you kneeling?" Kitster and Kha-tsel both asked via the Force.

"I've only kneeled to those who've earned my genuine respect these past 786 years. I didn't beg for mercy when I was guilty of horrible crimes so why should I now when I've done nothing wrong?" Anakin sniffed.

"SILENCE! NO COMMUNICATION!" a guard droid snarled as he and another droid tried to pull Anakin down onto the floor with their combined bodyweights of over 500 kilograms but Anakin managed to struggle to remain standing.

" I don't understand why you want ME to see these Arena Contestants. You know I can't abide those kind of spectacles," Anakin heard a rather affected and pompous voice sniff in Quechu from around the corner.

"Oh, no! It couldn't be!" Anakin groaned to himself.

"Darth Vader/Threepio, what are YOU doing here?"Anakin and C-3PO asked aloud in alarm at the very same time (with Vader's vocoder taking down Anakin's speech down an octave or so and translating it into Quechu) as Threepio came from around the corner into the large elevated throne podium.

"Golden Seer, these Arena Contestants refused to fight to the death and must be dealt with. The black masked one here refuses to show proper deference," a large purple-plated advisor droid barked in Quechu.

"Threepio, it's me. Anakin Skywalker- your maker! You need to let us go and free the other Coruscanti slaves so we can bring them home and you need to tell the Mong to never try to enslave us again!" Anakin pleaded but but still with Vader's vocoder on.

"Anakin Skywalker! It's totally beyond my capacity to believe a human could survive 831. .." Threepio sniffed before Anakin took off Vader's Mask and replica black gloves and shook his blond hair loose.

At once all the droids in the room squawked their alarm.

"Yes, Threepio. It's me! And, as I earlier said, you need to get them to let us go and. ." Anakin implored.

"I'm C-3PO, Golden Seer of the Quechu fluent in over six-million. .. and one forms of communication," Threepio exclaimed in both Basic and Quechu.

"Yes, I know all that. I originally programmed you myself 822 years ago," Anakin groaned.

"But. . . how can you look more than eight centuries younger than your alleged chronological age. And how could _you_ be Darth Vader?" Threepio asked (in both languages- as he would reply to Anakin from this point on)

"For whatever reason, the Force has preserved my youth and enhanced my strength all this time and I was once but haven't been Vader in 786 years. I only wore this to gain entry to. .. rescue you," Anakin exclaimed after snapping his right thumb and middle finger.

"Rescue? But I no longer have need of that! This is my home and I've learned to be quite content being a deity instead of slave," Threepio sniffed in both languages. "A deity?" Anakin, Kitster and Kha-tsel gulped.

"Well, yes. When they rescued me from the Escape Pod 763 years past they immediately saw that I had the precise pigmentation of their capital world's mid day solstice sun!" Threepio exclaimed.

Anakin did his best to calculate what he'd just heard and came to an alarming conclusion.

"Kino put you in that pod just before he set the Mong's Anti-Matter Devise to detonate!" Anakin gulped.

"You know of Prince Anakin Organa-Solo of New Alderaan and Naboo? You definitely have the continence of his grandfather but how could still be alive and youthful," Threepio asked.

"Would you quit asking me that and get the Quechu to free the Coruscant Galaxy and Coruscanti slaves?" Anakin pleaded.

"I can't possibly do that. After all the trouble they've gone to enshrine and worship me, it wouldn't be proper to cause that hardship for my followers," Threepio sniffed.

"_Proper_!"Anakin sputtered- and for some reason could hear a certain long-deceased Corellian Scoundrel's sarcastic laughter ringing in his head.

" I'm a Protocol Droid and it would go against all protocol to upset their way of life," Threepio sniffed.

"You asked me how I could go from being Jedi Anakin Skywalker to the Sith Darth Vader then back again to New Jedi Anakin Skywalker? How could you work with those who Kino gave his life to save our galaxy from enslavement from?" Anakin asked.

"If I dare say so, Master Anakin. Who are you to ask me why I'm not opposed to slavery?" Threepio asked.

"When I was Vader, I supported it but I didn't before and I haven't since and. ." Anakin groaned.

"But why didn't you make an effort to rescue me 763 years ago?" Threepio asked.

"We thought you'd been disintegrated along with all other traces of Kino's ship after the Detonation," Anakin sighed.

"But did you really try? I'm sure you'd have gone the extra light year for Artoo," Threepio sniffed.

"That was a horrible time for our family. Not only did we lose Kino but that was the closest I've ever come to returning to the Dark Side," Anakin sighed.

"May I ask what happened?" Threepio asked.

"It's fair enough. In the Yavin Four Celebration Temple, where he'd graduated from Padawan to New Jedi just months earlier, we held his Memorial Service but Han showed up drunk and belligerant. I got so furious at him that I nearly Force choked him to death. .." Anakin recalled.

"You. .. Force choked General Solo?" Threepio asked.

"Yes, I'm quite ashamed of what I did- and seeing my family's and all our friends' faces have that look of terror and dread that I hadn't seen since I was Vader. If it weren't for Padmé, Luke and Kino's Force Ghost pleading. .. " Anakin sighed as he shook his head.

"But how could you have been Darth Vader? Vader cut off Master Luke's hand and tried to kill him but you loved your son and. ." Threepio sputtered.

" I still DO love my original family but I'm sorry to say that back then I was capable of doing horrible things to those who loved me. It's not unique in humans," Anakin sighed.

"You've had to live with all that Vader did all these centuries? No wonder you were envious of my Memory Wipe and I fully agree with that assessment," Threepio sniffed.

" Memory Wipe. Oh,yes, when we first were re-introduced, I made that remark and. .." Anakin recalled.

"And that's why when the Mong bitterly complained about how sad, depressed and barely functional their slaves were with their memories of former lives haunting them, that's why I told the Quechu that a Memory Wipe for sentient creatures would be beneficial to all," Threepio beamed.

"You came up with that idea? Do you have any idea what trouble that's caused? How only a few folks older than 72 survived to tell the younger generations about our former lives and I'm one of the tiny number that it's any kind of shape to work with them to rebuild!" Anakin boiled.

"You mean, you weren't content as slaves when you didn't have memories?" Threepio asked in puzzlement.

"No! How could we be? We never got to make even the most elemental decisions over our own lives!" Anakin sighed while Kitster and Kha-tsel nodded in agreement.

At once another droid came in and buzzed something in Threepio's ear.

"Who! Artoo! HERE!" Threepio asked.

"Now what?" Kitster asked via the Force.

"What do you care about some droid," sniffed Kha-tsel via the Force.

"He's more than a droid. He's been a friend for ages!" Kitster explained via the Force as several guard droids led the protesting Artoo in.

"Yes, yes! Release my friend at once! Oh, I can hardly wait to catch you up on the last seven centuries as we spend the next few centuries together," Threepio beamed.

Artoo made some protesting beeps.

"But you'd be free here! You wouldn't have to take any more orders,"Threepio protested.

"Artoo never DID take orders. That's why he's here in spite of my orders!" Anakin laughed.

"What do you mean you have to protect Master Anakin and his Wookiee friend? Aren't you forgetting what Chewbacca threatened when he lost at 3-D chess. .?" Threepio sputtered.

Artoo beeped some more.

"Oh, I never knew that! So that's why you were on Chewbacca's back in Bespin! He'd fixed you, Threepio, and was trying to put you back together. I wish I'd known so I could have thanked him for that,too," Anakin sighed while scratching his chin with his right fingers.

"If you were Vader, why didn't you say anything to me when I was in that ridiculous position?" Threepio sniffed.

"I totally had disarranged my priorities back then," Anakin sighed.

" Artoo, they tell me that you tapped into our central computers and have vital information. You erase those at once or I'll have no choice but to let them disintegrate you," Threepio insisted.

Artoo sputtered some more.

"Now, Artoo. You'll be in a place where we are worshipped. I hadn't realized how much I LIKE being worshipped since Endor," Threepio chuckled.

Artoo chirped again.

"You mean, you prefer being disintegrated to helping those who worship me?" Threepio sputtered.

Artoo pleaded a bit.

"The Quechu say they want a Public Execution for Master Anakin and the other Coruscant Fleshers but they insist his face be covered by that Mask to minimize mass panic!" Threepio explained.

"Threepio, you once had to translate Jabba's voice when ordering Luke's Execution by Sarlaac. You're in a position to free the Coruscanti slaves. Why don't you use that power?" Anakin asked.

"I don't have any powers. I haven't been able to float since Master Luke was next to me that time in Endor," Threepio protested.

"You have the power of being worshipped. Use it for the good!" Anakin pleaded.

"But I. .." Threepio sputtered.

"I hate to do this to you but. .." Anakin gulped and ran as quickly as he could in his replica Vader Boots – knocking several droid guards down like bowling pins with the Force and his own strength as he made it to the podium where he managed to unhinge Threepio's head from his torso before anyone else could react.

At once every droid in the Audience Hall (except Artoo) chirped and whirred in a panic.

"But sir. .." Threepio's disembodied head protested.

" Since I built him, I know where a certain fingerprint is from where I touched his neck from where the sauter hadn't yet cooled and since I'd just had a broiled vecto wing, you'll find there's grease molecules imbedded within the fingerprint my 9-year-old finger made. Carbon date the grease molecules and factor in the finger growth and you'll prove it's all MINE!" Anakin said while holding Threepio's head aloft.

"You mean?" Threepio asked.

" I brought your Quechu god INTO the Universe 822 years ago and I can take him OUT if my demands aren't met," Anakin insisted as several smaller scanner droids matched the fingerprint with Anakin's and carbon dated the embedded grease molecules which proved Anakin's claim.

Several guard droids started to run towards the podium when Anakin held Threepio's head higher and started spinning it around while they started to back off in a panic.

"Oh, MY! I'm getting dizzy! Artoo, Help!" Threepio pleaded.

"If you kill me, you may never find out how to put back the Golden Seer's head on the right way!" Anakin warmed.

"We can restore him on our own!" a guard droid snarled as it lunged towards Anakin.

"But you have an entire galaxy of Coruscanti sentient beings who could EASILY finish the job and tear all of you apart. I realize I'm an extreme example of Force wielder, determination and strength but my galaxy's sentient beings ALL have the potential for extremes! It's to your benefit that you get the Mong to release all of us and end slavery for all time," Anakin pleaded.

"Oh, Father of Golden Seer, restore him for us! We'll agree to any demands!" the more senior Quechu pleaded.

"Okay, here it goes!" Anakin gulped as he bolted Threepio's head back onto his torso.

"Where I am? Oh, my head's back on my body again! You did it, Master Anakin!" Threepio beamed.

"Yes, I did! Now here are our demands. You release every single Coruscanti slave in your galaxy and ours. You give us enough Mong slaver ships to transport every single being back to our home systems. You are to withdraw all Mong from our galaxy at once. You allow NO attempts at any kind of slavery or memory wiping again. Finally, most important, you let us rebuild our Galaxy without any kind of interference or spying- and we'll leave YOU alone," Anakin insisted.

"The Council agrees as long as it's alright with the Golden Seer,"the senior droid counselor conceded.

"But Artoo, you're sure you don't want to stay here? " Threepio asked.

Artoo reiterated his refusal.

"What do you mean how could I have not thought how slavery was going to affect everyone in the Coruscant Galaxy? It seemed perfectly neat and orderly from here!"Threepio sniffed.

"Oh, you ARE my creation alright. Too many suffered because I refused to see how anyone else's problems were worse than mine for too long when I was Vader," Anakin sighed.

A month later, with Anakin, Kitster, Kha-tsel Sarin, Vlenoba the Kaminoan and Artoo's ship leading the way, a star-system sized cluster of one time Mong Slaver ships carrying every single former Coruscanti slave in the Quechu-Mong galaxy crossed into the outmost edge of the Coruscant Galaxy.

"Yes, Artoo. It was good to find out what happened with Threepio and I'm glad he's happy but I don't think I'll be seeing him again.Better we leave things as is," Anakin sighed-as he put Vader's Mask on the floor and he was back to his usual attire that he'd worn for over five centuries of sleeveless tan tunic with a utility belt complete with his Jedi lightsabre, and brown slacks ending above his bare ankles and feet.

Artoo pleaded.

"Yes, I appreciate that you chose entirely on your own to return with us to keep helping us out but I'll miss you in fifty years time when you visit Threepio for a year,"Anakin sighed as he patted Artoo's hood.

"Anything else, you need to tell me before I take the Final Vows?" Kha-tsel asked.

"Your eyes have changed from that unnatural Sith yellow to their intended color of green and I can tell it's permanent not a guise so you're ready!" Anakin insisted.

"You were right about me wanting a family.Do you think the others will accept me?."Kha-tsel asked.

"Hopefully and Ithink your example may encourage Coruscantis to stop putting so much emphasis on outer appearance and more on inner character," Anakin sighed.

"I think I may be ready now! When do the nightmares stop?" Kha-tsel asked.

"When we realize that who we were is not who we _are_ anymore. You've been given this opportunity to make a clean slate for yourself and do good the rest of your life. Don't throw this away as so much of your previous existence was," Anakin pleaded as he hugged Kha-tsel.

"There IS Passion for that represents the Force itself but we New Jedi use it for the good and to help those in need and never in anger, vengeance or cruelty," Kha-tsel said with Anakin repeating afterwards.

"Jedi Anakin, didn't you once tell me that the Old Jedi denied its existence?" the 76-year-old last Kaminoan, the New Jedi Dame Vlenoba asked.

"Yes, they tried but Our Founder understood that without passion, there could BE no Light Side and there would have been no opportunity for the Jedi to be revived if passion had been denied," Anakin sighed.

Kitster the Wookiee growled a bit a query.

"Kitster, that's a very good question. You asked whether I think Palpatine could have been turned to the Light Side. Our Founder and I used to ponder that from time to time," Anakin sighed.

" But he kidnapped my father and did so many horrible things to you and your family and. .." Kha-tsel sputtered.

" I know and I think at the time of Palpatine's mortal death, he probably could not have been and he definitely was beyond that possibility when the Force caused his Force Ghost Implosion but I think in some earlier time in his life it would have been possible had he sincerely wanted that," Anakin sighed.

"You sure are calm about all that after what he did,"Vlenoba remarked.

"I wasn't always! It took over two centuries before I could say that name without spitting. Let's continue the vows, Kha-tsel!" Anakin gulped.

"You think my birth mother Penelli envisioned this day to give herself strength after I had been implanted in her?" Kha-tsel asked once he completed the vows to become a New Jedi.

"Knowing my many times great-granddaughter, I'd say that was a good probability," Anakin sighed

"You've done it, Ani!" Qui- Gonn's Ghost beamed as he became visible with a blue aura to all Force wielders.

"Is this the one who my. .father .. . killed?" Kha-tsel gulped.

"Only my tired body NOT my spirit, Friend" Qui-Gonn Jinn's Force Ghost exclaimed.

"This is what you and Our Founder wanted," Anakin insisted as he went on his knees while the puzzled Kha-tsel did the same.

"Indeed, you have not only freed the Galaxy from the Quechu but you have also now eliminated the Sith's Last Remnant by Conversion. Much of the Prophecy has been completed!"Qui-Gonn's Ghost proclaimed.

" You mean, five thousand years of prophecy, eight hundred odd years of living and it ALL gets taken care of by my chanting and happening to have built the Quechu's Golden Seer and using him as the ultimate bargaining chip and one conversion?" Anakin started to laugh.

"Chosen One, I said much but you still have a great deal of work ahead of you as you help the galaxy rebuild itself!" Qui-Gonn admonished.

"But that could take centuries!" Anakin gulped.

" Quite so but you wouldn't have your youth preserved and strength enhanced all this time if. .." Qui-Gonn's Ghost started to say.

"If the Force didn't think I/he was capable of accomplishing it!" Anakin, Vlenoba, Kha-Tsel and Kitster all groaned at the very same time which prompted Qui-Gonn's Ghost to laugh.

Artoo asked what was going on and then chirped after Anakin explained.

"Yes, Artoo, we're all in this together!" Anakin laughed-as they all took a good look at the Coruscant Galaxy through the window while they started their return.

A/N- NOW I can give answer my Reviewers here!

Miss Naye- Yeah, they did get into rather deep stuff for a time here!

Eppieblack- Is your name derived from Hephzibah because if it is, then you have definitely lived up to your name for it means 'my delight is in her' in the original Hebrew and I'm **_majorly_** impressed as to how you picked up the subtle clues and put together the Golden Seer's ID as being Threepio! **Brilliant! **Thank you for that and for having read all fifteen chapters in one night! Glad you got a good laugh out of this and I hope this newest chapter lives up to your expectations.

Swspacecadet- Your comments are constructive so why wouldn't I take them in a positive spirit. Don't feel 'creepy' saying constructive things and I'm thankful you appreciate my work and consider my stories entertaining!


	17. Final

'Final Flash' (Chapter Seventeen)

By Ennon

A/N- I know it's been a VERY long time since I last updated this but between a BIG project and some writer's block, I got delayed. No more. Here it is! I may revise the other chaps today or another time but I want to finish this one now!

Miss Naye (#16)- Glad you liked Threepio being a deity for real, we'll see if Anakin remarries.

Swspacecadet(#16)- I'm glad you like the way it was weaved back together and I hope you have no problems with this last weaving.

Linwe-Amar(#2)i- Welcome aboard! Happy you love the storyline and I'll keep this going as long as needed!

Much time passed since Anakin, Kitster the Wookiee and Kha-tsel Sarin (Darth Maul's son) brought back the Coruscantis from the Quechu-Mong Galaxy and ended the Mongs' occupation- and the task of rebuilding the galaxy would be one that would take quite a few centuries indeed but with Anakin, his progeny and other Force wielders, the task proved not impossible.

In the very distant future after our previous encounter, large star shuttle landed in the space port area of Yavin Four a very short distance from the Massassi Temple Complex before an entourage disembarked.

"Welcome to the Luke Skywalker Memorial New Jedi Academy and Museum. We are honored to have you and your viewers celebrate New Year's Day with us!" a Mon Calimari man exclaimed (in tan silk kimono type vestments and polished knee- boots).

"Whatever, Master Frucort. Can we just get on with this. I'm told you're having Corellian women with. .." Rudork Travish from Bative -a red haired human man of average height in his early 40s wearing a rather ostentatious glowing suit.

"Sir, it's not that kind of celebration," Master Frucort gasped.

"Great! Adjino, why are we here again?" Rudork sniffed to his aide-de-camp.

"Because for countless centuries, the Galaxy has considered the anniversary of the Battle of Yavin to be the start of the calendar- and it would be good for the holovid network's ratings," Adjino Orgnex (a brown haired man in his 30's of average height but in much toned down attire and boots) replied.

"P.R. with the New Jedi buyers can't hurt I guess. We can amscray to a party after this crashing bore," Rudork said with clenched teeth.

"It looks interesting enough from a historic point of view," Adjino pondered as he started walking towards the complex.

"You and your history! Why are you walking"Rudork sniffed.

"The complex is only two kilometers away and it's a very pleasant day. . " Adjino started to say.

"The sooner we get thru this, the better. We're taking the hovercraft shuttle in," Rudork insisted.

Adjino knew better than to argue with his superior yet he couldn't help but be fascinated by the very wide restored interlocking stone causeway that had many intricate patterns via the original builders. Large trees bearing a dozens of varieties of fruit on each side with large garden and crop plots visible through the trees were some of the treats of this jungle causeway on the way to the temples.

Upon reaching the large stone gate in the walls surrounding the temples, they were met by a contigent of a dozen New Jedi Honor Guards (of forty- three species and four genders!) in their finest uniforms unsheathing their lightsabres and stepping back to form an archway for the visitors to walk through.

"This Temple Complex was first used for New Jedi in 5 AY, destroyed by the Quechu Mong in 718AY, Rebuilt between, Rebuilt between 850 and 1000AY by the New Jedi . This is dedicated to the Life and Teachings of our New Order's Founder, New Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. May the Light Side of the Force be with All Residents and Guests!" Adjino exclaimed with awe as he translated and read the stone inscription aloud in Middle Basic he somehow felt drawn to this spot and bowed his head in reverence.

"Blah-blah-blah!Are you through? Or must we wait until we've turned into stone monuments to hear the end of that," Rudork sneered while the rest of his entourage nodded in agreement.

"Sorry, I got carried away a bit," Adjino sighed, though he wasn't entirely sorry.

"It better not happen during the broadcast. .." Rudork started to sniff.

"WHOA! Look at the SIZE of that thing!" Adjino gulped he came into full view in the center of the plaza which was cornered by four 1000 meter tall temple pyramids with gigantic bases .

"Cut the chatter, Adjino and lets get onto the Ceremonial Temple so we can get more spacecraft sales, "Rudork snapped as they disembarked from the hovercraft and started walking.

"It's in the South Temple- right where the Princess first honored her as-yet unknown twin, her future husband, their Wookiee friend and two droids for their valor!" Jedi Master Frucort beamed.

"Fine," Rudork snapped as they followed the lead of New Jedi Master Frucort who didn't want to offend his high ranking guests.

As they made their way inside, Adjino saw hundreds of New Jedi, Padawans and New Jedi Progenies (as it had been decided by Luke that the Old Jedi term Younglings accentuated their vulnerabilities rather than abilities- to the relief of all who helped him establish the New Order).

"Adjino, why's that wrinkly fossil at the back of the room staring at me?" Rudork asked they made their way up to the stone chairs adjacent the center on the Ceremonial Platform in the front of the Temple

"I think he's actually staring at me," Adjino gulped- as he noticed the man Vorgot described doing so as heard a voice inside his head asking him many questions and asking him why he was wasting his time with. .. .

"Well, tell him to stop. He bores me!" Rudork sighed.

But before that happened, Jedi Master Frucort cleared his throat- the sound of which filled the entire interior for it was amplified by a hovering microphone.

"My fellow New Jedi Masters, New Jedi Dames and Temple Residents. Today, we are honored to help us celebrate the New Year the galaxy-famous spacecraft mogul , Rudork Travish. On behalf of our Jedi Order and all it represents on the Light Side of the Force, we welcome you!" Jedi Master Frucort beamed while almost everyone in the Ceremonial Temple clapped.

"Not bad, but I'm sure you can do better," Rudork sniffed while raising his hands in waves to encourage louder cheering.

"That'll do. Let's get on with it," Rudork shrugged.

"We will start out with 'Heroic Affirmation and Victory' found in the New Jedi Holovid Hymnal Chant Number 980," Jedi Master Frucort beamed while Adjino quickly found the chant in question in the holovid and held it in front of the Senator's rolling eyes while the others started following along.

'_Born of The Angel Named Padmé/_

_Who Came Down From The Sky/_

_And the Grandson of the Goldenhearted Slave Named Shmi/_

_Using the Guidance of the Slain Obi-Wan/_

_Our Founder Luke Skywalker/_

_Crushed the Jaunty Foes/_

_Via Light Side He Made/_

_The Fatal Blow on the Evil /_

_Of The First Death Star/_

_So The Galaxy Would Be FREE!_

"Born of a bagel/ Named Patty Cake!" Rudork suddenly sang out then mockingly laughed while grabbing the floating sound amplifier- all but Adjino in his entourage laughed.

The Jedi Master Frucort looked quite discomfited while all the others stopped their singing except for the bent, ancient man in brown robes and with defiance in his blue eyes.

"Why aren't the rest of you continuing? Has everyone else forgotten that it was the chants alone the kept the echoes of freedom alive after the 2nd Quechu Mong Invasion and enslavement wiped out virtually all the Galaxy's technology and written accounts," the ancient man in brown robes shouted from the back of the room.

"Please, Anakin. We want to make our honored guests welcome," Jedi Master Frucort pleaded.

"Have you forgotten the 5th Verse of the 782nd chapter of the first book of Our Founder's Credo?' Respect must be mutual for it to be of the Light Side'," Anakin insisted as the crowd started to part to give him a straight path to walk through.

Adjino noticed that all gave him respect but were some of this crowd being moved back and _hovering_ precious centimeters above the stone floor and away from the path to _make _room for this shrunken figure? Impossible!

" What got into your intestine? That crashing bore you call a song could use some humor!" Rudork sneered.

"I find your lack of respect and respect for My Master's Angel Mother and My Master's Accomplishments in this place most disturbing," Anakin boiled as he became visible to all on the stage.

He wore a brown tunic robe covered his head with a thick covering of ash-white hair that went to his bent shoulders. His nose was a bit bulbous and stood out from his craggy face but not as much as those intense blue eyes. He had very gnarled hands and bare feet sticking out of the robe's sleeves and brown pants.

"Puh-leaze! Lighten up, prune!" Rudork smirked

"As you wish!" Anakin replied while clenching his eyes.

Suddenly Rudork was aloft.

"HELP! Adjino, get me down! DO something! This better NOT be on the holovid broadcast!" Rudork screamed in hysterics five meters suspended in mid air above the platform.

"Could you please put my employer down? He gets motion sickness and. .." Adjino gulped- though not entirely upset as Rudork was slowly levitated to be entirely upside-down in mid air.

" He needs to respect My Master in My Master's house! I owe My True Master that at the very least after he freed me from my cage and restored. .." Anakin insisted while stomping his right foot.

"Put him down!" a disembodied voice was heard to exclaim by all New Jedi in the Temple while all non-New Jedi heard nothing..

"But, My True Master, this sot showed you no dignity," Anakin pleaded.

"He'll never learn any in that position. Put him down, NOW!" the same disembodied voice was heard to exclaim- this time heard by the New Jedi AND Adjino.

"You are correct as you've ever been, "Anakin groaned with some resignation while he gently righted the airborne man head over heels then set the holovid reporter down.

"Well, I'm glad you saw the futility in that. Really! Don't you know who I am? "Rudork sneered.

"I could ask the same of him AND I ask you again if you know what YOUR potential is?" the Anakin's voice whispered inside Adjino's head.

"Uhm, I think we'd better continue with the chant," Jedi Master Frucort gulped.

"By all means! We're here to **celebrate** The Day Long Remembered!" Anakin said with unmistakable pride.

The chants continued without further incident until the conclusion of the New Year Ceremony.

"At last, that's over with. I can hardly wait to blow this Wookiee den for . .." Rudork sneered with a wide yawn at the very end.

"Sorry, Senator, you can't leave here just yet. Ion storms from the gas giant we're orbiting," New Jedi Master Frucort sighed after having had this whispered by another New Jedi.

"What!" Rudork shuddered.

"We're perfectly safe here. They make excellent natural fireworks in our upper atmosphere to help us celebrate the New Year," Master Frucort beamed.

"Who cares," sniffed Rudork

"Not to worry. We have excellent, spacious and luxurious guest quarters for your entire party in the Academy Temple's top level," the New Jedi Master Frucort consoled.

"Guest quarters but I need to get to. .." Rudork sputtered.

"It usually takes a day or two for them to clear up,"Master Frucort explained.

"Great! Just what I always wanted to be stuck in this terrarium over the New Year holiday," Rudork boiled.

"Uhm, Rudork, as long as we have to be here, could I take a tour of the Temple Complex?" Adjino asked.

"Sure, I don't care. Just as long as you finish the Ratings Report by tomorrow night," Rudork insisted.

"Yes, sir," Adjino sighed.

"And see what you can do about this Relic Beyond Compare the addled-brained pilgrims come here to seek. If I'm holovidded with it, it'll send my ratings base through the nebula- and maybe I can buy it," Rudork whispered.

Adjino Orgnex had never seen anything like this but he somehow felt perfectly at ease wandering through as he ventured through the Temple Complex. the Museum Temple on the North Side, New Jedi Academy Temple on the East, Training Temple on the West and, of course, the Ceremonial Temple on the South).

In the Museum Temple he noticed a long corridor with hundreds of lifesized statues of men and women who were New Jedi Masters from Luke Skywalker himself down to the present day. There was an unbroken line apart from the Quechu-Mong Occupation which sent the New Jedi and virtually all remnants of Galactic Civilization into hiding. He noticed, though, by Luke Skywalker's statue, on the side to the left of his, there was a wide,deliberate gap between him and the four Old Jedi Masters revered here(Yoda, Qui-Gonn, Mace Windu and Obi-Wan). Adjino had heard about the Imperial Gap wiping out the Old Jedi but for small remnants that Luke Skywalker had revived but he couldn't help but think there needed to be another statue between Skywalker's Obi-Wan's.

Adjino then walked by himself to other galleries of so many associated with the New Jedi Founder. His breath was taken away by the Princess's Salon in which the New Alderaan Matriarch Leia Organa-Solo, her husband Han Solo and the Organa-Solo Dynasty were celebrated. He noticed a large chain with scorch marks strung up on the wall and became quite puzzled.

"You're wondering why such a crude chain for the New Alderaan Matriarch Princess's Salon," whispered the Anakin- at least Adjino thought but he didn't see the ancient man's lips move.

"Um, yes," Adjino gulped.

"It has been preserved here to celebrate how she single-handedly defeated the Hutt who'd enslaved her. This was rescued from next to the Sarlaac pit in the remains of the Sail Barge that Our Founder destroyed after saving his future brother-in-law, himself and their Wookiee friend from certain death. I'm proud to say that this artifact is original and not a replica," the Anakin beamed.

"She certainly was beautiful," Adjino gulped at the robed figure.

" A shadow of her and Our Founder's Angel Mother, though. Come with me," Anakin eagerly insisted.

"So many jewels and gowns this Queen Padmé of Naboo had," Adjino gulped at seeing dozens of mannequins sealed cryogenically sealed each containing one spectacular outfit after another surrounding the alabaster statue of the beauteous young lady.

"I'm sorry to say that they and the statue itself are replicas but after the Quechu Mong's Occupation and Final Defeat they were reconstructed with every single stitch and jewel to the millimeter as had been the originals but this is my personal favorite one," Anakin sighed then beamed at one of Padmé in a plain jumpsuit.

"Why this one?" Adjino asked.

"It showed her true natural beauty, strength and intelligence to her best advantage. It was in this outfit that she first descended on the desert rock to bring light into a wretched den," Anakin said with happy tears in his ancient blue eyes.

"Will you be alright?" Adjino asked.

"Let me take your hand for just a moment and YES! Just as I thought!" Anakin exclaimed.

"What?" Adjino gulped as the Anakin was on the verge of crushing Adjino's bones with surprising physical strength in his ancient right hand and a glow was felt coming into Adjino's right hand.

"Born of the Angel Padmé and the Chaotic Son of the Goldenhearted Slave Shmi in the Nineteenth Year Before Yavin, Our Founder and New Jedi Master, the elder fraternal twin Luke Skywalker would live another 104 years after Yavin and see five generations. By Luke's wife, the former Imperial Assassin named Mara Jade who Luke freed of the Ghost of Darth Maul their only child named Ben would be born in the 20th Year after Yavin who would live 57 years and by Ben's wife, the Nabootanean named Sabé Bortai, they'd have 5 sons and 3 daughters and by their 6th child and 4th son Han. .. ."Anakin continued to the stunned stillness of Adjino until.. .

"And by the 3rd son Rexoalt Skywalker would be born the 2nd son named Adjino to him and his wife Vorta Ogrnex- a direct descendent of Princess Leia Organa-Solo, twin of Master Luke Skywalker and her husband Han Solo but I sense your parents separated and you were given your maternal name," Anakin finished.

"You mean, I'm descended from the Founder?" Adjino gulped.

"And through his twin you're descended from Their Angel Mother," Anakin insisted.

"How can you know all this? I've never heard any of this," Adjino shuddered.

"As the very first verse first in the first chapter, of the first book of My Master's Tome, 'With the Light Side ALL Things Are Possible!'" Anakin exclaimed as he put both his gnarled hands above his head in triumph.

Adjino was even more puzzled as to what what going on but he somehow knew he'd find what others had sought in vain over the centuries - the Relic Beyond Compare!

"Are you saying I'm this Luke Skywalker's descendant? " Adjino asked.

"And, Princess Leia Organa-Solo's making you doubly descended from Their Angel Mother!" Anakin insisted pulling himself to his full height to give Adjino a salute.

" But Skywalker's not that uncommon a name. Many families took it in Your Founder's honor like my mother's may have- especially since so many lost their names after the Quechu Mong Occupation," Adjino recalled.

"That they did- although I can tell you that over 5 million direct descendants of his, 3 million of the New Alderaan Matriarch and over half a million mutual descendents are living throughout the galaxy.!" Anakin beamed with unmistable pride.

" In spite of the plagues and Quechu Mong Occupation?"Adjino gulped.

"Yes, without those factors the numbers of Skywalker and Organa-Solo descendents would have been virtually incalculable," Anakin groaned.

" I'm sorry," Adjino sighed- even though all this had taken place centuries earlier.

"What a terrible century that was for all in the Galaxy. Worse than even the 23-year Imperial Gap!" the Anakin groaned.

"But all that was centuries ago and they're long gone, what does that have to do with?" Adjino asked.

"The New Jedi rebuilt every stone and exhibit in these temples from the ground up to show the shellshocked Galactic populace they COULD survive and their descendents would be inspired to renew our civilization," Anakin explained.

"I'm sorry but I didn't get your name," Adjino sighed as he extended his hand to the Anakin's tiny, gnarled one.

"Everyone here addresses me by my calling of Archivist- for what I preserve is far more relevant than any name," the Anakin groaned.

"You tell me dozens of generations of ancestors I'd never heard of but you won't tell me your own name? Great! "Adjino sighed.

"To believe it, you would have to believe that through the Light Side ALL is Possible- and I don't think you're ready," Anakin snapped while wagging a gnarled right index finger.

"Okay be that way. Which way to to the X-Wing Replica?" Adjino asked.

"So, you're interested in the Battle of Yavin after all, " Anakin pondered.

"I read about it on a carving the Ruins of the New Senate Chamber in Coruscant," Adjino shrugged as they left the Museum Temple.

"Hmm, I knew you must have done some archeology," Anakin pondered.

" For some reason, I've always been drawn to the period between the two Restorations of the New Republic. That millennium had so much going on!"Adjino explained.

"But you don't have the entire picture," Anakin groaned before made their way to the Training Temple where in a corner sat the replica of Luke Skywalker's X-Wing Rebel Fighter appearing as though it was ready to defend Yavin again at any moment.

"Amazing, this looks so much like in the carving!"Adjino gulped.

"For some years after the New Republic, the X-Wing Fighter became widely reproduced in every form of art imaginable. Yes, this tiny vessel was able to defeat the gigantic weapon against enormous odds even with many losses of good lives," Anakin groaned.

"Our Founder's squadron was fired on by dozens of Imperial Tie-Fighters that wiped out 90 percent of his comrades and his blue astromech droid got fired upon by The Enemy who should have recognized it-among others," Anakin started to explain with a sigh.

"The droid got hit? It looks like it survived to me but you said this was is a replica of that ship," Adjino considered while pointing to the mute and silent R2D2 nestled in the replica of the X-Wing's pod.

"That I did say but you may be relieved to know that it was restored to the mint condition that we have preserved the look of to this day," the Anakin explained while nodding . .. towards this mute droid replica, Adjino wondered.

"How did my ancestor Luke Skywalker get out of this one?" Adjino asked.

" Our Founder's future brother-in-law Han Solo (another of your ancestors) wiped out The Enemy's guard fliers- sending The Enemy tumbling upside-down and backwards through space but using the Light Side of the Force and listening to Master Obi-Wan's ghostly advice, Our Founder was able to thrash the laser torpedo the correct 72 degree angle to cause the Chain Reaction that Exploded the First Death Star literally moments before it was due to destroy this very moon as it had Alderaan (with its rich culture and history) the day before," Anakin groaned.

"Man, I'd forgotten that Alderaan had gotten destroyed just the day before that. And to think she urged the Rebels to keep fighting instead of being overwhelmed by that incalculable grief. How did my ancestress Princess Leia keep from being destroyed?" Adjino asked.

"A good part of it was due to her adoptive parents' kind but resolute upbringing but I like to think she inherited the will and strength of her Angel Mother that she had barely met," Anakin beamed with pride.

"You sure seem fixated on their mother! You've taken all this historic knowledge to heart almost like you knew them," Adjino beamed.

"A historian like yourself should know that if one studies those they admire enough one can virtually make that leap," Anakin explained.

"Yes, even though I've only heard bits and pieces of the Loss of Alderaan, I can't help but be sad about that even when thinking of your Founder and my ancestor's Victory Against the First Death Star," Adjino sighed.

"Yes, I agree and, in addition to the losses of his compatriots and the entire planet of Alderaan, I can't help but feel sad for Our Founder having seen a great friend as the Old Jedi Master Obi-Wan slaughtered before him that very day- and his aunt and uncle incinerated alive the day before," Anakin deeply groaned.

"Even with all the losses happening over the centuries since, those still are sad things to consider even with that Victory over the First Death Star," Adjino sighed.

"That's why tomorrow, we schedule the Homage to the Slain Innocents- for Alderaan and all the innocents who we must lament the loss of through war and greed," Anakin groaned.

"When will we ever learn to stop those curses?" Adjino asked.

"My Master often asked the same question," Anakin groaned.

"It's been quite fascinating learning all this stuff and I'm glad I didn't miss the chance thanks to the luck of that ion storm," Adjino started.

"Who says it was mere luck?" Anakin pondered with not a little pride.

"I guess I'm a bit naïve," Adjino laughed.

"Remember what Our Founder and your ancestor said 'Be as Virtuous as Old Jedi but as Cunning as Sith' !" the Anakin wryly laughed.

"Sure seems a great deal inside your short parcel!" Adjino laughed.

" I wasn't always short but now I finally share My True Master's height for the first time since my early adolescence," Anakin exclaimed as they made their way back to the Ceremonial Temple where Adjino decided to make his way to his guest quarters.

Early the next morning, Adjino happened upon a very elderly Twi' lek Jedi named Zaditmu who was meditating in the Statue Plaza.

She held up her hand.

"I'm Zaditmu Qivok. Forgive me but my physical eyesight is virtually nonexistent but the Light Side tells me you are a human man aged 35 average height with brown hair as late from Bespin,"Zaditmu considered as she waved her ancient hand in front of his face.

"That's right," Adjino gulped.

"And you are Adjino Orgnex and you seek answers about the Archivist," Zaditmu half-laughed.

"Well, yes. He seemed to know so much about me and my family lineage," Adjino started to say.

"That's his job- and he's quite strong in the Light Side. If one uses the Light Side correctly, few secrets or shadows remain save what is necessary,"Zaditmu pondered as Adjino sat crosslegged next to her.

"So no one knows his real name? You've never heard it?" Adjino asked.

"We all know who he is and his dedication to Our Founder's Memory as well as its applications for future generations," Zaditmu beamed.

"How many generations have you been here?" Adjino asked.

"Well, I first arrived as a girl of ten, then married my fellow Padawan and sweetheart Ko'Vrar ten years later and we raised our family then I returned here after Ko'Vrar's death 50 years past and its been 95 years since I first arrived here,"Zaditmu exclaimed.

"Yes, I noticed that you are the eldest listed of all the listed New Jedi Temple residents on the manifest," Adjino pondered.

"It's a very great age for a Twi'lek," Zaditmu exclaimed with pride.

" So was the Archivist taller- perhaps with blond hair when you first arrived?" Adjino asked- though not entirely sure why he considered the Anakin's original hair color.

"No, he was exactly the same height, wrinkled and with the same white hair when I first arrived- and the ancient New Jedi I met when I first arrived told me that's how he was with _them_," Zaditmu whispered while using her left hand to try to sense if anyone else was around listening..

"I saw on that Old Jedi Master Yoda's inscription that he lived to be 900 years old but. .NAH!" Adjino scoffed.

After hearing the Homage with the New Jedi, Adjino looked for the Archivist until he saw Anakin outside the Temple Complex walls behind the large fruit trees carefully hoeing drainage rows in his produce garden .

"I wish I had the time to learn to garden," Adjino sighed.

"My Master used to disdain his stepuncle's farming in his youth but in his. . later years, he'd learned patience and took great satisfaction in growing things. And I daresay that the rich soil, steady rainfall and warm conditions make it ideal for growing most edible plants," Anakin said with pride as he continued to dig.

"Freshly, naturally grown food is better than imported or processed," Adjino pondered.

"You didn't come out this way just to make pleasantries about gardening. There's something you'd like to ask," Anakin said with a lilt.

"Well, I'm not sure where to start," Adjino sighed.

"I can help you with that,"the ancient Anakin laughed as he managed to seek then bring forth a small question in the back of Adjino's mind to Adjino's mouth.

"Tell me, do you think My Ancestor Luke knew fear?" Adjino suddenly felt compelled to ask.

" What makes you ask that?" Anakin sniffed as he put down the hoe and picked up the watering can while walking up the newly hoed rows expecting Adjino to follow him.

"I'm not sure but he just seemed so heroic at Yavin and. .." Adjino beamed.

"He was nineteen-years-old then. That was before he was hunted by the Enemy Who Represented All He Hated. I know that Bespin has been decommissioned for several centuries but I'm surprised you never heard about their duel," the Anakin groaned.

"Duel?" Adjino gulped.

"The Enemy had given himself to the Dark Side and Palpatine!" the Anakin groaned

"You said the Enemy had given himself to the Dark Side. Why?" Adjino gulped.

"That's a question I've been asking for. .. many years. At the time, the Enemy believed the Dark Side could give him power over others and over events but instead it drained him of virtually all the power the Enemy himself _once_ had! In your Coruscant archeology, ever come across accounts of Death Stick fiends who haunted bars there?" the Anakin asked while putting his gnarled right hand up to his square, but wrinkled chin.

"No, I heard there was a great deal of corruption and addictions among the city-planet's citizens in the last days of the Old Republic that the Empire would use to their advantage,"Adjino sighed.

"Well, in those last days of the New Republic, Death Sticks were the slow poison of choice by those who felt themselves too sophisticated to have to deal with life without supplements. The more Death Sticks they consumed, the more they believed they needed yet. Same with the Dark Side and the power through cruelity and hatred it offers," Anakin explained.

"So, my Ancestor Luke's Enemy was addicted to the Dark Side like that?" Adjino asked.

"Yes. Oh, he was every bit responsible for all the evil he chose to do for it. However; he was addicted nonetheless,"the Anakin sighed.

"What happened in Bespin?" Adjino asked.

"The Enemy caused great pain and suffering to My Master's sister, future brother-in-law and their Wookiee compatriot to lure My Master to use him for his Force Wielding, "Anakin sadly recalled.

"While my ancestor Luke was in Bespin?" Adjino asked.

"No, to lure him TO Bespin. Oh, My Master was consumed with great anger and hatred to this Enemy he believed to be completely inhuman. He wanted the Enemy to suffer like his friends had and to kill him so he disregarded the vision of seeing himself in the Enemy's cage when he ran up full of anger and hatred ready to strike the Enemy down!" the Anakin said with a shudder.

"So did he strike The Enemy down in Bespin like he'd destroyed the First Death Star?" Adjino asked.

"No, going against every natural code, The Enemy battered him then severed My Master's right hand with his red Sith lightsabre clean off!" Anakin said in horror.

"How horrible!" Adjino gasped.

"Especially when one considers that the Enemy did this in spite of the loss the Enemy himself had had of his own more than 20 years before," Anakin gasped while grabbing his own ancient gnarled right hand with his ancient gnarled left one.

"Then the Enemy told My Master something that wounded him even worse than the loss of the hand His Angel Mother had helped create," Anakin shuddered.

"What!" Adjino asked.

"The Enemy had despised My True Master for being everything HE had been before he'd chosen the Dark Side, for befriending his former friend who'd become his sworn enemy Obi-Wan . Added to that, others' suffering was something he and other Siths fed on like maggots to decay," Anakin groaned.

"But what did the Enemy say?" Adjino gulped.

"What I'm about to tell you, you must understand that it's not the pain these news inflicted upon My Master that made his character but how My Master ultimately _reacted_ to it that would save My Master, the Galaxy and. . ." the Anakin started to say.

"There you are! Haven't you finished that report YET!" Adjino's employer Rudork screamed as he ran up to Adjino in Anakin's produce plot and started dragging him away by the left shoulder- oblivious to the young plants he was stepping on on the way out..

"But I was learning. .. " Adjino sputtered.

"You were wasting your time with your stupid old friends. The ion storm should clear up any time and we're taking off. I must have that report when we leave!" Rudork sneered.

"Anakin, are you alright?" the elderly Twi' ilek Jedi Dame Zaditmu whispered as she came out to the produce garden carrying a bunch of flowers from her own patch while holding up her left hand to 'see' him while he shook his head.

"Oh, he needs to know what Our Master overcame and HOW he overcame it! Adjino should see he can write his own destiny instead of remaining that sod's flunky," Anakin groaned.

"History repeating itself, right?" Zaditmu sighed.

"Not exactly. Until I've said what needs to be said to Adjino, that ion storm isn't going to clear up," Anakin said with a laugh.

As Adjino was working on the report, he picked up a rather scratched up holotext tome and put in the reader. What he saw there was quite astounding to him!

"Now, Progenies, think of the water as the Force as it surrounds and protects us- yet pushes us at the same time!" Anakin was heard to say to dozens of small children while all in swim gear were swimming in the Training Temple's underground pool.

"Why does it push us?" a small boy asked.

"To spur us to do our best so we can simultaneously rely on it- yet stay independent!" Anakin exclaimed- as he took a sharp dive to the pool bottom.

"Archivist, are you okay?" asked a small girl as he came up for breath- gasping a bit.

"I'm fine," Anakin chuckled as he splashed everyone in the pool (including himself) with a Force wave.

" Better shape than many your age!" Adjino sniffed as he came into the natatorium with a large burlap knapsack.

"What do you mean? Where did you find that?" Anakin asked .

"I was digging around Coruscant in the Government District and I saw it. ." Adjino exclaimed as Anakin pulled out the holotext via the Force.

"How many layers did you have to dig to find this?"Anakin asked.

"It was almost at the bottom layer and. .."Adjino sighed.

One of the New Jedi Progeny girls put the holotext into the reader and saw it projected.

"It must be Ancient Coruscantic! What does it say, Archivist?" the New Jedi Progeny human girl named Atina (aged eight) asked.

"Very good, Atina! It's 'Tome XC of the Our Founder's Testament'-in his original 'hand'! We've been missing that Tome ever since the Quechu Mong. . .!" Anakin gasped.

"That's not all! Look at this in the opening holopage 'Dedicated to the Chosen One, New Jedi Strong Arm, Galaxy Liberator and Ageless One. My Father Anakin Skywalker- without whom I could have never started or finished this work'- and if I just. .." Adjino started to say as the holotext pic from 76AY of Luke Skywalker looking his contemporary age of 95 standing next to Anakin Skywalker (aged 117 but appearing to be in his early 20's and looking quite athletically powerful who was seen supporting the ancient Luke's bent weight by bracing him to his side by his right arm) became visible.

"Don't do that!" Anakin begged.

"Why not? They should see where you came from!" Adjino exclaimed –as he put in a micro chip and 'aged' Anakin's picture until it appeared exactly the same as Anakin did at this time.

"What are you going to do, worship me? I'd rather you didn't. Children, that's enough for today. It's time for us to take a break from the training for now!" Anakin groaned as he used the Force to levitate himself out of the pool and started walking away with Adjino.

" But you've lived over so many centuries and you did a great deal to re-establish the Galaxy after the Quechu-Mong over the centuries and fulfilled that Prophecy . .." Adjino gasped.

"But everything that's happened, I owe to Luke who fought Palpatine for my very soul while his own life was in mortal jeopardy even though I had hurt him so badly. He had the Light Side restore my dismembered body. Never has there been a braver warrior and a better friend than he- and I treasure that century I got to spend with him! " Anakin sniffed- as he used the Force to make his New Jedi robes fly towards him to rerobe himself.

"You could have been RULED this Galaxy for many centuries after he did that and. .." Adjino exclaimed.

" No, the Galaxy has belonged to all- not just any one person or government. Luke and the Light Side taught me that. I wanted to drag him down by joining me so I wouldn't be alone. Instead, he **raised** ME by my joining him. My destiny has lain with _him _all these centuries," Anakin exclaimed with a raised right fist.

"You've never thought of the wealth and power?" Adjino asked.

"I had palaces 2nd only to Palpatine's in size and grandeur on many worlds and riches enough to buy hundreds of star systems and I had power from the entire galaxy fearing me but without anyone to love or any friends, it was all empty and destroying from within. See this?" Anakin asked- as he put his right hand on his lightsabre on his utility belt and his left one on the laminated blackened, Japor Pendant around his neck.

"A tool and a necklace?" Adjino asked.

" Gifts of My Angel Padmé and My True Master Luke!" Anakin exclaimed as he grasped each object that once been given to each of them that they'd given back to him.

"These are the only possessions I have in the Galaxy and the only possessions I NEED!" Anakin exclaimed.

"Not even shoes?" Adjino chuckled.

"Master Yoda wore none because he wanted to feel the Force as much as he could and so do I!" Anakin exclaimed.

"But what about your immortality and your Force Wielding?" Adjino asked.

" I once told Master Qui-Gonn that I'd be the first to see all the worlds in the galaxy- and it took me many centuries to do that and I've seen many wondrous worlds arise that I'd have never imagined before but there are so many things I wish I hadn't had to see," Anakin groaned.

"Like Tatooine becoming entirely inhabited by Sand People and Jawas with only a few human merchants now living there?" Adjino asked.

"It doesn't bother me as much it would have millenia earlier. The planet was a harsh, dry rock and after the Quechu-Mong Fall with so many fewer sentient beings left than before, humans preferred places with water and actual soil to Tatooine so few human farmers bothered to return- and it truly had belonged to Sand People and Jawas all along. They've kept access to Mama's gravesite and My Master's Homestead- and they've kept the basic architecture and name of Banai City intact. Oddly enough, 'banai' has become the Sand Person word for 'city'- but Senator Banai and his family would have been taken aback," Anakin half-laughed.

"What about New Alderaan ?" Adjino asked.

" I wasn't happy when they overthrew Leia's descendants' ceremonial monarchy 4,578 years back but it was out of my hands. At least the planet itself has remained quite viable," Anakin shrugged.

"Unlike Naboo. .." Adjino groaned.

"Being on the trading crossroads, it's become like Coruscant before the Quechu-Mong Invasion with virtually every square kilometer covered by city spread.The lake where Padmé taught me how to swim has long since been drained. I wanted to move Padmé's Mausoleum from there but Luke's Ghost told me that she prefers it where it is- even in its current, grimy state so current Nabootaneans can see it and recall when their world once had great natural beauty to inspire them," Anakin sighed.

"You think Coruscant will have more than archaeological tourists and expeditions to it anytime soon?" Adjino asked.

"It beats the first few centuries after the Restoration when it was inhabited by bandits and thieves- of the NON-governmental variety," Anakin half-laughed,half-snorted.

"I'm surprised they didn't go to Kashyyyk," Adjino sniffed.

"That planet probably was restored closer to its original state more than any other because the Wookiees revere tradition more than virtually every other species! " Anakin exclaimed.

"And considering you've lived longer than any other sentient being- even Sarlaacs and Hutts," Adjino pondered.

"You've heard of Hutts? They've been extinct for thousands of years," Anakin sighed.

"I'd heard about how they died out after they weren't able to command anyone else to do their bidding and they proved to be rather helpless on their own without legs," Adjino considered.

"I was without legs myself for a time so I actually found myself pitying them- as odd as it sounds," Anakin sighed as he banged his now bent legs.

"I found myself pitying your firstborn children after I heard about their mother dying of a broken heart after their. ." Adjino started to gasp for a moment before Anakin let his neck go again.

"Forgive me for that. It's just one of those totally STUPID distortions about her that have emerged over the centuries on some of the more obscure systems. The idea that someone who led armies and fought in arenas could just die for no medical reason when her babies needed her at their birth is so INFURIATING! She was a FIGHTER who never gave up hope like her children proved to be. They had HER character inside them. Even had she died in childbirth, she'd have died fighting to protect them from harm rather than just giving up," Anakin boiled.

A/N- Take THAT, ROTS!

"I was wondering how anyone, especially someone like her could have had that happen," Adjino gasped.

" With our galaxy having been become a loose confederation independent planets rather than a Republic or Empire, it's not surprising that many variations of our lives have evolved over the centuries. I don't care what others think of me as I did horrible atrocities as Vader but I'll be DAMNED if I let them soil her or our children's good names while there's a breath in me!" Anakin boiled while stomping his right foot on the ground.

"What about that story I've heard about Plageous the Wise halting. ..?" Adjino asked.

"WHERE did you dig THAT one up? Who was it who called that thug Plagueous 'the wise'? The SITH, that's who! They didn't want to admit he'd been defeated by Yoda! The Old Jedi's failing was in underestimating the powers of Palpatine while Vader's failing was in OVERestimating those powers but they're essentially a farce! And WHY anyone would want to glorify those scum who were so cruel and deceitful and grant them more power than they actually had instead of celebrating the one who was willing to give his life to triumph over them is beyond me!" Anakin groaned.

A/N- Take THAT, EUs!

"But what about the power of having a good position? I'm on the fast track to. ." Adjino insisted.

" To be someone else's puppet and pawn? There's NO power in that whatsoever. I've seen dozens generations by Padmé's progeny and dozens by those the Mong mated me with- and I can't say I was able to keep ALL of them from throwing away their lives but I'm not about to let you do so without giving you the chance to learn what being the Force wants with you," Anakin exclaimed.

"But I have no Force Wielding powers," Adjino groaned.

"Are you sure? Did you hear anything when I had Rudork upside-down?" Anakin asked.

"I just heard him whine to get down," Adjino sighed.

"Is that . .?"Anakin asked.

"I almost swore I thought I heard someone TELL you to put him down but that's. .." Adjino gulped.

"My True Master Luke! You DID hear him so you MUST have some Force-Wielding power!" Anakin exclaimed as he actually hugged and lifted Adjino from the ground.

"You sure are strong!" Adjino exclaimed.

"Not as strong as in centuries past. I can only physically lift ten times my body weight these days but Force lifting's not too bad," Anakin half-laughed.

"No one will ever live as long as you have and I sure won't have anything close to your Force Wielding capacities," Adjino sighed.

"That's how the Dark Side works. Belittling what one can't do instead of celebrating one's potential like the Light Side would have us do," Anakin declared.

"But the Sith have been extinct for centuries- ever since you converted Kha-tsel Sarin and. ." Adjino gasped as they found a stone bench in the Temple Plaza and sat down together.

"That doesn't mean that the Dark Side itself is entirely extinct but we mustn't live our lives in fear of living as that itself could cause the Dark Side to take hold in our individual lives," Anakin exclaimed.

"It's been so many centuries since her deaths. Why didn't you remarry after Padmé's death? You had all those children by fellow Mong slaves and. ." Adjino asked.

"I intended to with poor Miruba but the Mong didn't let her live to be my bride. Then I could have wed any one of my children's mothers but I decided that that would just sew jealousy and intrigue among those I didn't choose at the expense of whichever bride I did. Besides, with hundreds of Force-Wielding offspring to raise and train to restore the Galaxy, there was PLENTY of family for me in those days," Anakin half-laughed.

"Were you afraid any new wife would have resented you remaining young while they. .?" Adjino asked.

"I used to worry that Padmé would have done so but she came back to me on Kamino believing I was still the broken, limbless man who'd appeared more than a generation her senior. My love for her only grew over the decades we spent. The closest she ever came to despairing about old age was on her deathbed when she was a hundred.She told me that if it was any consolation, she knew that if I DID have old age, I'd be oldfor FAR longer than her entire lifespan. It's proven to be true," Anakin laughed.

"They called you the Ageless One for many centuries but then. ." Adjino started to say.

"Then, after the first 25 centuries, I started aging about one year per century. Guess whose body Palpatine counted on using for his Empire of Ten Thousand Years?" Anakin croaked while pointing to himself.

"You never wished you could rule the galaxy. You had the power for so long and. ." Adjino remarked.

"And I could have had a harem that would have taken Hutts aback but that would have meant my descendents would have overwhelmed all non-Force Wielders in just a few centuries. That's not what the Force intended for me. I was put here to guide others by word and deed to Luke's Path! To carry on what your loved ones believed in is the best way to honor their memories!" Anakin declared.

"Where's my report?" Rudork snorted later that night.

"Who cares? It won't make any difference in the grand scheme of the Force!" Adjino declared.

"What?" Rudork sniffed.

"I'm quitting!" Adjino exclaimed.

"You can't quit! Think of the ratings and your career," Rudork sniffed.

"I'm going to stay here for a time," Adjino declared.

"You're giving it all to bum around as a New Jedi?" Rudork asked.

"I'm not sure what my path will be but I intend to work hard helping them out to find out," Adjino insisted as he left the Guest Quarters of the Academy Temple.

"What do you mean, you can't awaken Anakin? I've come to tell him important news!" Adjino gulped as he ran out to the Temple Plaza as the sun was setting next to the Celebration Temple.

"I've tried to waken him but he's fast asleep," declared the 8-year-old New Jedi Progeny Dame Atina.

"His breathing is deep but not labored," Adjino exclaimed as he tried to shake Anakin's physique.

Suddenly, Anakin's skin and entire body glowed with a white light radiating from within.

"What's happening?" Adjino asked as he covered his eyes from the glare.

"What was prophesized centuries ago with him! " Atina exclaimed as Anakin suddenly stood upright from his prone sleeping position.

Everyone in the Yavin Four compound soon ran towards where the light was coming from that seemed even brighter than a supernova's and saw Anakin's physique actually float upwards hundreds of meters above the Plaza.

Suddenly, the light burst forth from the form of Anakin's physique- and instantly reached all parts of the Coruscant Galaxy. Not a single sentient being missed seeing that light burst forth at that instant- no matter how dark or shut out from any other light they may have otherwise been. Nor did they miss hearing the message from inside their heads.

"The Chosen One has become One With The Light Side and Has Joined the Others in the Force!" the words were heard via the Force via the Coruscant Galaxy's hundreds of languages and communication forms throughout the Galaxy.

Rudork and the others were quite stunned as they saw Anakin's brown and tan New Jedi Robes, Blue Jedi Lightsabre and Japor Pendant drop hundreds of meters from the Yavin Sky onto the Plaza stones at the feet of Adjino into a circle at of one meter in diameter.

"All the possessions he had- and all he ever needed," Adjino declared as he picked them up in the Year 10,508AY .

"Father, you made it! Welcome!" Luke Skywalker's Jedi Ghost (who once again looked 23 years old) declared.

" Luke, Leia and Padmé! You get to see me as an old man, at last!" Anakin's Jedi Ghost (who looked over 100)declared.

"And it only took 10,504 years. Man, did I get it in spades with you staying young for so long after I called you old and ugly!" Han Solo's Ghost shrugged.

"Ani! I won't see you as old since you refused to see _me_ that way!You've served us so well!" Padmé's Ghost declared as she and Anakin's Jedi Ghost (with a brilliant blue light) hugged her.

"But all those innocents I harmed as Vader. ." Anakin's Ghost declared.

"We served the Light Side all this time and we spurred you to train hundreds of generations of New Jedi children to defend themselves so our deaths were by no means in vain!" Zett the Youngling that Vader had slain 10,527 years earlier declared.

"Your time as a Sith gave you what it took to understand then defeat them and their heirs," Qui-Gonn's Jedi Ghost exclaimed.

"Master Qui-Gonn I. ."Anakin's Jedi Ghost exclaimed exclaimed.

"Son, I think you need to start calling him something else," Shmi Skywalker's Ghost exclaimed.

"What do you mean, Mama?" Anakin's Jedi Ghost asked-as he hugged her.

"You know all about Jedi Mind Tricks? Well, the Force pulled the Ultimate Mind Trick on both Master Qui-Gonn and your mother Shmi. They were put in a trance and conceived you without having any memory of it- or even having met.!" Obi-Wan's Jedi Ghost laughed while banging Qui-Gonn's back.

"What! Why didn't you tell me this when I was alive?" Anakin's Jedi Ghost asked.

"Father, the Force wanted you to serve them and NOT simply what my grandfather told you- and they gave his seed an extra punch so you could have unprecedented Force-wielding capacity AND longevity!" Luke's Jedi Ghost declared.

"So that's what you meant by being honored to see what the Force did as its Conduit that time when Palpatine's Ghost was destroyed on Coruscant. You never DID treat me as less than a son- even though you had to witness me doing horrible things as Vader," Anakin's Ghost gulped.

"And, because I knew you, I was able to find the secret of maintaining my identity in the Force AND that's why ALL of our spirits have remained intact these thousands of years! We're all going to be around as long as YOUR spirit is intact,Son" Qui-Gonn's Force Ghost declared.

"Then, what?" Anakin asked.

"We get to join our energies with the rest of the Force but we'll always be together until the end of time!" Luke's Jedi Ghost declared as he put his hand on Anakin's shoulder.

"What of Adjino and the living ?" Anakin's Jedi Ghost asked.

"I'm sure they'll find the path the Force has meant for them. We have plenty of time to help them! Come, we have millions of descendents who'd like to catch up with you!" Padmé's Ghost laughed-as she took Anakin's hand and started to lead him to them in that part of the netherworld.

"Master Yoda! Let me give you a boost as we start the rest of eternity!" Anakin's Force Ghost laughed as he picked up Yoda's Ghost from the netherworld . ..um ground and hoisted Yoda on his shoulders along with a Youngling while the smaller group joined others in the netherworld.

THE END

A/N- I thought about the possibility of Anakin being immortal when it was discovered that he had more midchlorians in him than Yoda when he was just a boy- and Yoda lived to be 900 years old.

I decided to write this story to show that Anakin COULD have been capable of greatness even after having been Vader but one who recognized what had happened and strived to follow Luke's ways and I HATE how ROTS and the EUs mistreated Padmé, Luke, etc!


	18. Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts

I want to thank everyone for their imput helping me along here (even those that weren't as positive as the others). Again, I want to urge everyone reading this (and hopefully I'll be able to get all the chapter titles matching the names again after 12-18-05's disasterous editing. At least I got the order straightened out. I wrote this in a way to protest the current direction of the PT , EU's and the latest tampering with the original OT in which the original message of heroic goodness and faith redeeming the jaded have (as far as it seems to me) have been supplanted by the cynical message of evil coming back again and again with good only having occasional, accidental and temporary victories- and evil being cool and glamorous while good is tepid and lifeless. I think that's aterrible direction and NOT why Iwatched the original series ! I know that Lucas, the EUs legally can do whatever they want to the characters but that doesn't mean that I can't create my own non-profit renditionsof whatI believe are closer to what the original, timeless message that most good mythologies are based upon. Anyway, enough soap-boxing on my part and now the part the faithful have been waiting for- the kudos!

Angel Sanada- Glad you loved the ending! I pondered what it would be like if an immortal worshipped the memory of mortal loved ones as a means to guide their lives via examples.

Miss Naye- Yep, it only took 10,500 years or so for Anakin to age and die a natural death (if you want to call being taken up into the sky and being rendered into light natural). Happy you thought this was an interesting tale!

Storyteller Person- Glad you loved the whole story and I know it's sad it's over but surely you wouldn't have wanted to have covered ALL the adventures of Anakin's OTHER 9,000 years or so. Who can spare the centuries to read through that? LOL

swspacecadet- I hope the crying like a baby was a good cry for you and I'm glad you appreciated it when he got to rejoin his loved ones (and had lived to treasure them AS loved ones). Yeah, considering that Qui-Gonn was the only tall, blond Jedi of the right age, I thought him unknowingly being Anakin's father might be worth considering (and neither Palpatine or Dooku looked anything AT ALL like Anakin so that's a strike against that possibility). I'm glad you also had considered the theory and were pleasantly surprised at the end.

I'm glad you so moved by Luke's death from old age in that chapter and that you consider that part something worth staying with you. I wanted to show that the circle was somewhat complete with the irony of Luke having been able to save Anakin by re-awakening him to his REAL powers but not being able to be with him physically for very long due to his own mortality,

Glad you liked the tapestry I wove and you take good care and May God Bless you and your loved ones during these times!- Ennon


End file.
